Teen Talk Summit to Focus on Mental Health Resources in Area Schools

The state of mental health needs within local schools will be the focus of the second annual TeenTalk Summit, to be held at AITE High School in Stamford on Tuesday, July 15.

The discussion will be held from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. at the school, located at 411 High Ridge Rd. It is sponsored by Cos Cob-based Kids in Crisis. The TeenTalk Summit will feature a panel discussion exploring trends, challenges and needs for expanded mental health resources in schools.

Scheduled panelists include Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei, Greenwich Police Chief James Heavey; Dr. Jeffrey Vanderploeg, Associate Director, Child Health Development Institute; Ridgefield High School Principal Dr. Stacey Gross; Alexis Bivens, Program Director, Fairfield County Community Foundation; Brien McMahon High School Principal Suzanne Koroshetz will serve as host. 

Panelists also will discuss the benefits of TeenTalk, a Kids in Crisis program that places trained crisis prevention counselors in area middle and high schools. TeenTalk counselors provide a confidential support system for students dealing with the wide range of issues that challenge adolescents today.

A question and answer session will follow the panel discussion. Several area educators, administrators and government officials are among the confirmed attendees. 

For more information or to RSVP to the event, contact Denise Qualey, Managing Director, Crisis and Clinical Services at Kids in Crisis, at 203-622-6556.

Kids in Crisis (www.kidsincrisis.org) is Connecticut’s only free, round-the-clock agency providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling and community educational programs for children of all ages and families dealing with a wide range of crises – domestic violence, mental health and family problems, substance abuse, economic difficulties and more.  Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis has helped more than 118,000 Connecticut children and families; last year, over 6,000 children and families received assistance from the organization.