According to the surgeon general, every teacher has at least three children in their class right now living with a mental health condition. Chances are 40% of them are not receiving the care they need - often because they are embarrassed to talk about it. Fortunately, the news is good. There is treatment and recovery is possible.

At NAMI Fox Valley, we know that these children are not alone. Caring and observant teachers, schools and parents/caregivers are looking for ways to help. We’ve developed age-appropriate education programs and resources designed for teachers and schools to help not only understand the challenges, but to address them with practical and empathetic approaches. Presentations are available and customized for elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Read descriptions and request presentations below. 

Questions? Contact NAMI Fox Valley's Community Outreach Coordinator, Megan Zimmerman, at mzimmerman@namifoxvalley.org.
Mental Health Chat is a 40-minute presentation designed for 4th graders and is delivered by someone living with a mental illness, or a family member of someone who lives with a mental illness. The goals of the presentation are as follows:
    • Educate elementary students about NAMI & mental illness
    • Help students understand that getting medical help for a mental illness is similar to getting medical help for a broken arm or the flu
    • Educate students that 1 in 5 people live with a mental illness
    • Provide positive coping skills for dealing with strong emotions
    • Teach students how to help themselves or a friend identify an adult they can talk to if feeling sad/depressed/anxious
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Ending the Silence is a 50-minute engaging presentation that helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition. Presentations include two leaders: one who shares an informative presentation and a young adult with a mental health condition who shares their journey of recovery. Audience members can ask questions and gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic. Through dialogue, we can help grow the movement to end stigma. Request This Presentation
Youth Mental Health 101 is a 60-minute presentation is designed for high school health/psychology classes and is meant to expand upon the information gained in the Ending the Silence Our Youth Mental Health 101 presentation covers the following:
    • The adverse effects of mental health stigma
    • Warning signs of diagnoses particularly prevalent in teens and the stigma that often accompanies these diagnoses
    • Mental health treatment options and the importance of seeking out treatment early in life
    • Healthy coping mechanisms
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In this 50-minute presentation, high school students will expand upon the information gained in the Youth Mental Health 101 presentation and learn about the warning signs specific to anxiety and depression in teens, the importance of early treatment for a mental health condition and numerous healthy coping strategies if a person is experiencing challenges with their mental health.
In this 50-minute presentation, high school students will expand upon the information gained in the Youth Mental Health 101 presentation and learn about different stressors that can impact a person’s mental health, the differences between stress and anxiety, healthy coping strategies & stress management skills to use if a person is feeling overwhelmed and the practice of mindfulness to improve stress levels.
In this 50-minute presentation, high school students will expand upon the information gained in the Youth Mental Health 101 presentation and learn about the differences between non-suicidal self injury (NSSI) and suicide, the warning signs of self injury, how to effectively respond to a person who is self-injuring, and the importance of treatment & emotional regulation for someone who self-injures.