PCTI students and Student Assistance/Crisis Counselor Jennine LaCorte are already on the right track. They premiered the StigmaFree initiative at a recent board meeting with an in-house video that seeks to shed light on depression – a disorder frequently experienced by high school students.
StigmaFree seeks to abolish the negative way in which mental illness is viewed through education, encourages others to see the person and not the condition, and takes action to push for better legislation/polices for all. The program provides a much needed support-network for faculty & students.
PCTI students Tyler Markham (North Haledon), Natalie Aramayo (Paterson), and Jade Brown (Passaic) provide information to staff and students about StigmaFree during Wellness Day.