BY DECLAN VARLEY
A motion seeking to provide targeted mental and emotional health supports to students sitting the Leaving Cert and state exams was put to HSE West at this month's Regional Health Forum.
Cllr Evelyn Parsons, Independent, told members of the Health Forum she has great concerns regarding the unique set of pressures young students are under sitting the traditional Leaving Certand other state exams after prolonged uncertainty and recurrent disruptions through COVID. "I am pleased to have gained widespread support for my proposal which the Regional Health Forum agreed to escalate to the National Office Of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
"I welcome that it is now going forward for consideration of rolling out a National Student Mental & Emotional Helpline,'' said Cllr Parsons.
The Independent East Galway Councillor proposed that HSE West put a Student helpline in place immediately to provide additional mental and emotional health supports targeted specifically to pupils sitting state exams this year in recognition of their unique mental health pressures engendered by prolonged educational and social disruption through COVID, and more recently the knock on impacts of a war at a key transitional development stage in their young lives. ''Over 60,000 students sit the Leaving Cert annually and even more students experience exam stress also.
"I proposed to pilot it in HSE West and that it would assist in expediting a fast track for urgent intervention and referral to specialist services. I'm pleased the Regional Health Forum felt there was merit in my proposal.
"Tony Canavan CEO Saolta and Ms Breda Crehan Roche, Community Healthcare West and senior executive staff supported the proposal of a student helpline at national level as did my councillor colleagues.
"I hope to see this implemented without delay so that it can serve our youth as a valuable mental and emotional resource for years to come,'' said Cllr Parsons.
While there are mental and emotional health resources available, funded by HSE through Jigsaw, Mindspace Mayo, West be Well, she stated she was concerned that students who are already overwhelmed with reading materials and bookwork and low mood might find it unwieldy to get to the information they need.
Cllr Parsons said she was also concerned that a national resource might not be in place quickly enough to assist this cohort of young people with upcoming exams in the HSE West area.
Ms Breda Crehan Roche, Community Healthcare West, agreed to put together a more user friendly format of existing resources immediately for students and youth.
"It is important the resource information is presented in a user-friendly manner for students' quick access. I welcome the additional online platform at Westbewell.ie which launched since I raised this issue at the Health Forum last month and thank Ms Crehan Roche for her responsiveness in compiling mental health resources in a user friendly format," said Cllr Parsons.
