Children’s Mental Health Day

Metropolitan’s Sea of Orange became a Sea of Green for Children’s Mental Health Day, as office decorations and staff wardrobes brought to life the color representing mental health awareness.

Staff at Metropolitan’s Southwest Center and DuPage Center (both our Wheaton office and Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage) recognized the importance of supporting our young friends through counseling and other mental health services.

Read more about Children’s Mental Health Day here.

Lauren Klancic, Counselor in our Screening Assessment & Supportive Services (SASS) program at Metropolitan Southwest, shares her perspective on the importance of children’s mental health, and how Metropolitan Southwest recognized Children’s Mental Health Day:

“Mental Health does not look the same for any two kids, so we felt like tie dye was a perfect representation of that to wear to support and shed light on Children’s Mental Health Day! Although though some of the shirts may look similar, each has their own pattern, and things that make it unique – much like our clients.

It’s challenging for anyone to sit down and allow themselves to be vulnerable in counseling, and when a child is able to do that because you’ve provided them with a safe and supportive environment it’s a beautiful thing to witness. We are given the opportunity to instill hope in them at an early age that their mental health is manageable, teach skills that can serve them lifelong, and empower them in understanding and processing what they’re going through.

Mental Health in general is something we are consistently working to break the stigma around as clinicians. Children’s Mental Health Day allows us to spotlight the need for more programs to be available to underserved communities, the work our amazing Children’s Mental Health staff does with the our clients, and let children know they are not alone, they matter, and they are worthy of getting the help they need and deserve!”