Belmont Wellness Coalition

As we wrap up the 2022-23 school year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and summarize all that the Coalition was able to accomplish, as well as to look forward to what is coming up next for BWC.

Belmont Wellness Coalition (BWC) is a committed cross-section of Belmont parents, youth, school, town, and community representatives that work to promote healthy choices and positive decision-making among Belmont youth. BWC coordinates efforts to prevent and reduce youth substance misuse in Belmont through evidence-based education and prevention efforts. Coalition members meet monthly during the academic year.

BWC Leadership Team:

BWC is a program of Wayside Youth & Family Support Network.

BWC offers workshops to the community on many topics relating to youth well-being. We especially focus on substance misuse and mental health awareness. This year, BWC hosted five events for the community.

1. In October (2022), the Belmont Wellness Coalition and Watertown Youth Coalition hosted a Narcan Training with Lt. Dan Unsworth of the Watertown Police Department. Lt. Unsworth discussed the importance of Narcan’s availability in communities and instructed participants on how and when to administer.

2. Also in October (2022), the BWC collaborated with the Belmont Public Library to present: Understanding Tween Mental Health. Maeve and Lisa presented to Belmont community members typical vs. concerning behaviors in tweens, how to normalize talking about mental health with children and tweens, and how to support children who are struggling with mental health.

3. In March (2023), we hosted a workshop (in partnership with The NAN Project) entitled: Suicide Prevention: Know your FACTS. BWC was joined by members of The NAN Project to present a workshop exploring suicidal ideation.

4. This past May (2023), the BWC presented Social Host Liability Law and Substance Misuse to BHS Seniors and Parents. Lisa and Wendy provided guidance on the Social Host Liability law, how to talk with kids about substances, and how kids can avoid using substances.

5. Teen Mental Health First Aid Training. In conjunction with the Waltham, Brookline, and Watertown communities, also in May, Belmont Wellness Coalition facilitated a Teen Mental Health First Aid Training for high school students in grades 10-12. This three day training covered common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, the signs of mental health crisis such as suicide, the impact of school violence and bullying on mental health, how to open a conversation about mental illnesses and substance use with friends and how to seek the help of a responsible adult. Students who participated earned a certification as well as community service hours.

One Love, One Belmont - In March (2023), BWC participated in this community wide event to show support for community organizations and to encourage civic engagement. The spirit of the afternoon centered on creating a more welcoming town.

Belmont Pride March and Celebration - In June (2023), BWC joined together with other community organizations for a celebration of Pride Month 2023.

During the 2020-2021 school year, BWC initiated a program at the high school called Student Ambassadors. This group was created for students who are passionate about promoting mental health awareness and connecting with peers at BHS.

The 2022-2023 school year brought new leadership to both BWC and BHS Student Ambassadors. With the addition of Brittany King, a BHS Guidance Counselor and now Student Ambassador Staff Liaison, and Maeve Kennelly, Prevention Specialist for BWC, this group was able to promote some important initiatives.

A major highlight from the 2022-2023 school year was the Trusted Adult Initiative. The BHS Student Ambassadors recognized a need for more clearly identified Trusted Adults in the building. A Trusted Adult is an adult students can turn to for support on topics not directly related to academics or classwork. Increasing the visibility of Trusted Adults in the building will allow students to build relationships with faculty in the BHS community. Adults in the building were able to self-select themselves to be advertised as a Trusted Adult.

Branding for this project is underway, and it will be fully implemented at BHS in the Fall 2023!

This past fall, BWC partnered with a fellow non-profit organization, The NAN Project. The NAN Project works to spread mental health and suicide awareness and education to youth, educators, and community members. BWC and Belmont Public Schools were fortunate enough to work with The Nan Project on several occasions. In March, they presented “Suicide Prevention: Know Your FACTS” to the Belmont community as well as executing two professional development sessions for staff at BPS:

• Mental Health 101: Mental Health in the Classroom

• Typical v Troubled: Teenage Development

Lisa creates bi-monthly, prevention-centered educational video segments with Mike Crowley, and Matt Simonelli from the Belmont Media Center.

Highlights from this past year’s video segments include:

• The Impact of Sleep on Teens' Mental Health

• Coping with Holiday Blues

• Managing Screen Time

• Understanding the Teen Mental Health Crisis

• Fentanyl: What Parents Need to Know

• Social Host Liability Law

• How to Prepare your Child to Launch

All videos can be found here.

The BWC offers Tip Sheets on various topics, e.g., Mental Health; Sex, Gender, Identity; Teen Alcohol and other Drug Use; Guidance for Parents of Trans and Non-Binary Kids; and, we created two new Tip Sheets this year, including:

• Wilderness Therapy
• Vaping 101

Other BWC curated tip sheets can be found here.

BWC's Parenting Group meets monthly and offers parents a safe and supportive place to explore, discuss, and share strategies on parenting tweens/teens. Lisa and Maeve facilitate the group, and offer guidance and resources related to each month's topic.

This year, parents chose to focus on the following topics:

• Vaping

• Bullying: Upstander vs. Bystander Behavior

• Setting healthy boundaries with children and teens

• Supporting autonomy and sense of self in children and teens

• What parents of uprising grade 7 and 8 youth can expect at the new location with guest Karla Koza (School Department Director of Reconfiguration)

• How to encourage kids to eschew screens and socialize in person

NEXT Parenting Group: Wed., Sept. 27 at 7:00 PM

New members are always welcome! Please reach out to us if you would like more information (contact info below).

What: Vaping - A Community Forum

Who: BWC and Kevin Hill, MD

When: Monday, Oct. 23, 2023 at 7:00 PM

Where: CMS Community Room

The BWC will be presenting several presentations which will offer 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey highlights (Locations & Times TBD)

Belmont High School Back-To-School Night

BWC will present a Social Host Liability Law and Substance Misuse workshop - date and time TBA

BWC wishes to thank Janice Darius for six years of amazing partnership! We are so grateful to Janice for her unstinting support for the BWC and its programs.

Here is an excerpt from the BWC’s goodbye card to Janice, penned by Lisa:

“I have so appreciated that you carved out time (from a demanding schedule!) each month to attend our meetings, that you assisted in publicizing our events, and that you acknowledged the BWC’s mission and efforts at School Committee and School Department meetings. All of this was not taken for granted; your support was an integral part of all that we did … just know that you dedicated your professional life to making a meaningful difference in the lives of countless children and their families. If after a long and wonderful retirement, that ends up being your epitaph – I absolutely can’t think of a better one. Thank you for all you have done for Belmont families and enjoy every minute of what lies ahead.”

School Department

Library

Belmont Against Racism

LGBTQ+ Alliance

Belmont Welcomes

Belmont Police and Fire Departments

Belmont Human Rights Commission

Belmont Youth Commission

Email:

Maeve Kennelly, LSW maeve_kennelly@waysideyouth.org

Lisa Gibalerio, MPH lisa_gibalerio@waysideyouth.org

and please check out our website for lots of helpful resources: belmontwellness.org