IMPACT Silver Spring is offering SSL hours for students aged 16+ for our upcoming Film & Discussion. The month of July is designated as BIPOC Mental Health Month. The purpose is to bring awareness to the unique mental health challenges and needs of historically disenfranchised or oppressed racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Black and Indigenous people and other people of color (BIPOC) experience a broad spectrum of ongoing discrimination, oppression, and inequity within the mental healthcare industry.
During this one hour event, we will watch a series of interviews from the PBS World Channel series “Decolonizing Mental Health”. This series examines the systemic inequities that prevent BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities from receiving appropriate treatment. The interviews focus on the transformative work of therapists and individuals of color who are changing the narrative of what mental health support can look like in ways that are more affirming, culturally responsive, and dismantle racism.
Following the film screening, students and other attendees will engage in a facilitated discussion exploring the following questions:
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How will you use what you learned to better advocate for yourself or loved ones as it relates to mental health?
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What does it look like to transform how we talk about mental health in a school setting? What actions can you take to start decolonizing?
Please note the following guidelines for student service through live virtual platforms:
- A student’s parent/guardian must provide the nonprofit with written approval of the student’s participation in the virtual platform prior to the student serving/volunteering.
- Students must use personal/private accounts (not MCPS student accounts) to engage in the virtual platform.
- Students will only engage with others under the direct supervision of a nonprofit supervisor. The nonprofit supervisor will be directly present in the virtual space (including any breakout sessions) at all times.
- The nonprofit supervisor will initiate and host all virtual sessions. If the nonprofit supervisor is not available to initiate and host the virtual session, the session will not occur.
- Virtual sessions will not be recorded.
- Students should not share or upload any videos, pictures, or images of themselves, unless the nonprofit organization has obtained a signed form/waiver from the student’s parent/guardian authorizing permission/release.
- Students’ email addresses/home addresses or any personally identifying information will remain protected and not shared.
Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the student’s parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety and privacy at any time the student is interacting with the nonprofit and its clients. The nonprofit organization will determine the number of SSL hours awarded based on the evidence submitted. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns. This service activity is designed to be completed within the safety of the student’s home.
