School-based Psychological Services Program for Mental Health Month
May is Mental Health Month, the theme to which is ‘Pathways to wellness. This month will give us focus on raising public awareness about the importance of mental health in people’s lives.
Kosovo has an urgent need to promote and improve mental health care programming, including treatment and awareness programs, instead of merely allowing the shame and stigma of emotional health challenges to continue. A School-based Psychological Services Program (SBPSP) is at the center of this call for action.
The SBPSP program offers psychosocial services and counseling for adolescents, by a team of psychologists. The purpose of the SBPSP is to remove barriers to accessing mental health services, and prevent and treat mental health problems among youth. It lays the foundation for a potential expansion of mental health services in Kosovo's schools. The SBPSP program was implemented at the Gymnasium High-School “Hajdar Dushi”, in Gjakova, and “17 Shkurti”, in Obiliq, Kosovo.
Long-term application and expansion of the SBPSP program into Kosovar schools will contribute to better academic performance; will reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom; reduce student absenteeism; reduce student conflict; and raise student motivation to study more – all these factors which contribute to more positive student concentration and involvement in class.
According to psychological studies, it is not enough for youth to get help from only family members and friends. Twenty percent of adolescents need counseling from mental health professionals. “Psychologist placement into primary and secondary schools must be done immediately. This will positively impact students’ environment and academic performance.” – says psychologist Blerta Sulhasi, SBPSP Program Director and Hope Fellow.
Even though many Kosovars have mental health challenges, it is still very difficult for people to talk about it, due to shame, fear and misperceptions. If we talk openly about mental health, as community members, we will make accessibility easier for people in need for these services.
All of us – parents, teachers, friends, journalists – can help raise awareness and overcome the stigma around mental health. Now, more than never, as a post-war country, it is time to talk about mental health issues at schools, in the media, families, at youth and other community centers, all over Kosovo.
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Let’s raise awareness for importance of mental health!
Programi i Shёrbimeve Psikologjike nё Shkolla pёr Muajin e Shёndetit Mendor
Muaji Maj ёshtё Muaji i Shёndetit Mendor qё ndihmon nё ndёrgjegjёsimin e popullatёs pёr rёndёsinё e shёndetit mendor nё jetёn e njerёzve. ‘Rruga drejt mirёqenies’ – ёshtё tema e kёtij viti nё Muajin e Shёndetit Mendor.
Nё Kosovё ёshtё njё nevojё urgjente qё tё punohet mё shumё pёr programe parandaluese, trajtuese dhe edukative, nё vend tё turpit dhe stigmёs. Kjo thirrje pёr veprim udhёheqet nga Programi i Shёrbimeve Psikologjike nё Shkolla (PSHPSH).
Ky program ofron shёrbime psikosociale dhe kёshillim pёr adoleshentёt, nga njё ekip i psikologёve. Qёllimi i PSHPSH ka qenё qё tё shёrben si strategji pёr t’i adresuar brengat e adoleshentёve, duke i larguar barrierat pёr t’iu qasur shёrbimeve tё shёndetit mendor, tё ofron parandalim dhe trajtim tё vёshtirёsive tё shёndetit mendor te nxёnёsit e shkollave kosovare. Ky program ёshtё aplikuar nё Gjimnazin “Hajdar Dushi, nё Gjakovё dhe “17 Shkurti”, nё Obiliq. Aplikimi afatgjatё dhe pёrhapja e kёtij programi nё shkolla kosovare, kontribon nё njё performancё mё tё mirё akademike, duke i reduktuar sjelljet problematike tё disiplinёs nё shkollё, zvogёluar mungesat e nxёnёsve, zvogёlimin e konflikteve nё shkolla, motivimin e nxёnёsve pёr tё mёsuar mё shumё – tё gjithё kёta faktorё qё ndikojnё nё koncentrimin dhe pёrfshirjen e nxёnёsve nё klasё.
Sipas psikolgёve, pёrpjekjet e familjarёve dhe shoqёrisё nuk janё tё mjaftueshme, sepse studimet tregojnё se 20% e adoleshentёve duhet tё marrin ndihmёn nga profesionistёt e shёndetit mendor. “Vendosja e psikologёve nёpёr shkolla fillore dhe tё mёsme, duhet tё bёhet menjёhere. Pasi qё, kjo do tё ketё ndikim pozitiv nё mjedisin dhe performancёn akademike tё nxёnёsve.” – thotё psikologia Blerta Sulhasi, udhёheqёse e Programit tё Shёrbimeve Psikologjike nё Shkolla.
Edhe pse shumё njёrёz nё Kosovё kanё vёshtirёsi tё shёndetit mendor, ende ёshtё e vёshtirё qё tё flitet pёr tё. Ne si pjesёtarё tё komunitetit nёse flasim hapur pёr qёshtje tё tilla, do t’ua bёjmё mё tё lёhtё atyre qё kanё nevojё pёr kёto shёrbime.
Tё ngritet vetёdija pёr shёndetin mendor, tё zvogёlohet turpi, frika dhe keqpёrceptimet egzistuese, qё i ndalojnё njerёzit qё kanё nevojё tё kёrkojnё ndihmё. Kjo do tё ndihmonte nё lehtёsimin e rrugёs sё atyre tё rinjёve, tё rriturve, dhe familjeve qё pёrballen me vёshtirёsi tё shёndetit mendor tё kёrkojnё ndihmё dhe pёrkrahje.
Tё gjithё ne – prindёrit, mёsimdhёnёsit, gazetarёt, shokёt, etj. - mund tё ndihmojmё nё ngritjen e vetёdijes dhe mposhtjen e stigmёs pёr shёndetin mendor. Tani mё shumё se kurrё, pёr njё vend tё pasluftёs, ёshtё koha qё tё flitet pёr qёshtje tё shёndetit mendor nёpёr shkolla, media, tryeza familjare, qendra rinore apo qendra tё tjera nё komunitet, nё tёrё vendin tonё.
Copyright © 2013 Blerta Sulhasi
Nё Kosovё ёshtё njё nevojё urgjente qё tё punohet mё shumё pёr programe parandaluese, trajtuese dhe edukative, nё vend tё turpit dhe stigmёs. Kjo thirrje pёr veprim udhёheqet nga Programi i Shёrbimeve Psikologjike nё Shkolla (PSHPSH).
Ky program ofron shёrbime psikosociale dhe kёshillim pёr adoleshentёt, nga njё ekip i psikologёve. Qёllimi i PSHPSH ka qenё qё tё shёrben si strategji pёr t’i adresuar brengat e adoleshentёve, duke i larguar barrierat pёr t’iu qasur shёrbimeve tё shёndetit mendor, tё ofron parandalim dhe trajtim tё vёshtirёsive tё shёndetit mendor te nxёnёsit e shkollave kosovare. Ky program ёshtё aplikuar nё Gjimnazin “Hajdar Dushi, nё Gjakovё dhe “17 Shkurti”, nё Obiliq. Aplikimi afatgjatё dhe pёrhapja e kёtij programi nё shkolla kosovare, kontribon nё njё performancё mё tё mirё akademike, duke i reduktuar sjelljet problematike tё disiplinёs nё shkollё, zvogёluar mungesat e nxёnёsve, zvogёlimin e konflikteve nё shkolla, motivimin e nxёnёsve pёr tё mёsuar mё shumё – tё gjithё kёta faktorё qё ndikojnё nё koncentrimin dhe pёrfshirjen e nxёnёsve nё klasё.
Sipas psikolgёve, pёrpjekjet e familjarёve dhe shoqёrisё nuk janё tё mjaftueshme, sepse studimet tregojnё se 20% e adoleshentёve duhet tё marrin ndihmёn nga profesionistёt e shёndetit mendor. “Vendosja e psikologёve nёpёr shkolla fillore dhe tё mёsme, duhet tё bёhet menjёhere. Pasi qё, kjo do tё ketё ndikim pozitiv nё mjedisin dhe performancёn akademike tё nxёnёsve.” – thotё psikologia Blerta Sulhasi, udhёheqёse e Programit tё Shёrbimeve Psikologjike nё Shkolla.
Edhe pse shumё njёrёz nё Kosovё kanё vёshtirёsi tё shёndetit mendor, ende ёshtё e vёshtirё qё tё flitet pёr tё. Ne si pjesёtarё tё komunitetit nёse flasim hapur pёr qёshtje tё tilla, do t’ua bёjmё mё tё lёhtё atyre qё kanё nevojё pёr kёto shёrbime.
Tё ngritet vetёdija pёr shёndetin mendor, tё zvogёlohet turpi, frika dhe keqpёrceptimet egzistuese, qё i ndalojnё njerёzit qё kanё nevojё tё kёrkojnё ndihmё. Kjo do tё ndihmonte nё lehtёsimin e rrugёs sё atyre tё rinjёve, tё rriturve, dhe familjeve qё pёrballen me vёshtirёsi tё shёndetit mendor tё kёrkojnё ndihmё dhe pёrkrahje.
Tё gjithё ne – prindёrit, mёsimdhёnёsit, gazetarёt, shokёt, etj. - mund tё ndihmojmё nё ngritjen e vetёdijes dhe mposhtjen e stigmёs pёr shёndetin mendor. Tani mё shumё se kurrё, pёr njё vend tё pasluftёs, ёshtё koha qё tё flitet pёr qёshtje tё shёndetit mendor nёpёr shkolla, media, tryeza familjare, qendra rinore apo qendra tё tjera nё komunitet, nё tёrё vendin tonё.
Copyright © 2013 Blerta Sulhasi