Katie Karam: Barrington 220 Board of Education Mental Health Survey

NAMIBA: Mental health is a simmering crisis for many of our schoolchildren, partly hidden by isolation but increasingly evident in the distress of parents, the worries of counselors and early research.

As a member of the school board how would you address this crisis?

Katie Karam: “Thank you so much for reaching out about this important issue. This is one of the reasons I felt compelled to run for the Board as we struggled with mental health in our own home this last year and we also struggled with where to go for help. I feel we have put a generation of children at risk of a mental health crisis and now we have to use every resource available to let them know they are not alone. This is more than just a Board issue, it must be a community issue. I think it would be wonderful to partner with local organizations like My Red Said, BStrong Together, BYFS, NAMI, school counselors, local counselors, and even community members to start the conversation that ‘it’s ok not to be ok.’ The message from Jessica Hutchison, the founder of My Red Said, is so important. ‘My Red Said is about having difficult conversations and reminding everyone that it truly does take a village.’ By making this a ‘village’ priority we can all unify under the shared goal of making mental health a conversation we are all comfortable having. If elected to the Board, this would be my first area of focus, as early intervention is key and we must work immediately to help our children transition back from the isolation of this past year. We are stronger together.”

Learn more by visiting Katie Karam’s website. More information about the election can be found on District 220’s website. For more mental health resources, subscribe to NAMI Barrington Area’s newsletter.