Central New York students are in their first full week of school and they might be dealing with more than just striving to get the best grades. There’s getting acquainted with the new school year, classes, peer and social pressures, and sometimes bullying. Scott Herron is the Executive director of NAMI Syracuse. He said parents often have common misconceptions about youth mental health.
“I’ve talked to many parents who have lost their children and say there was no sign, I didn’t see anything," said Herron. "I wish I knew these tools and these tips and tricks beforehand, so I could at least get them to open-up and talk to me more.”
Herron said it’s important to pay close attention to mood changes because it could indicate a symptom of something greater. He says sometimes it’s difficult to get kids to open-up.
“Cause’ there’s a lot of times where you talk to your son or daughter, ‘How was school today? Great,’ and that’s all you get," he said. "These are the ways you can kind of ask them a few more questions and get them to open-up a little bit more.”
Herron said the organization offers tools and resources to help parents navigate what their child might be going through. They include self-awareness tools for students to help with their feelings and understand how their minds work, and how to develop coping strategies. Syracuse City Schools offers six mental health clinics in schools for students and families. Two additional clinics are set to open in January 2027. Anyone who needs to speak with a trained mental health therapist or counselor may call 988.
