May is the month of Mental Health Awareness. With this, from 2021 to 2023, over 37 % of Latino high school students in Santa Clara County have reported feeling sad or hopeless for almost 2 weeks or stopped doing their usual activities, according to the Latino Health Assessment by the Santa Clara County Public Health.
The 2025 Latino Health Assessment is conducted by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and provides data on the health status and factors that contribute to the health outcomes of the Latino Community in the Santa Clara area.
The survey also reveals the unintentional drug overdose death rate among Latino residents increased by four times from 2009-2013 to 2019-2023. We also learn that the rate of Fentanyl overdose-related deaths among Latino residents from 2020 to 2023 increased by 128%.
According to the website Addiction Center, depression is common among people battling substance abuse. Not only can substance abuse intensify the feelings of sadness and loneliness overall, one-third of people with serious depression have an alcohol problem.
In alignment with this information, there is a 48% increase in the suicide rate among Latino from 2009-2013 to 2019-2023.
With this, it’s important to maintain our mental health. If we don’t get the support that we need right now, we may enter adulthood with untreated mental health problems.
The Wellness Center offers a space that is open to all students, featuring Katie Taylor, a social worker who provides support services to all students.
When speaking about the services that the Wellness Center provides, she states that the two main purposes of the Wellness Center are that it’s a drop-off space for anyone and provides counseling support. She also adds
“We also offer workshops. We do different activities throughout the month. If you look at our monthly newsletter, you’ll see different activities that are going on. We connect families to different services and supports in the community. One of the biggest activities, or the most enjoyed activities we do, is animal therapy,” said Taylor.
The Campbell Union High School District is partnered with CASSY (Counseling and Support Services for Youth), a nonprofit that provides professional mental health services to students located in the Wellness Center.
Nancy Vargas, a CASSY therapist, notes the number one stigma that she sees at Del Mar is the belief that attending therapy is for “crazy people,” which she states is not true.
“Therapy can help support with stress, with school stress, and just anything that’s going on, with friendships and families, and it’s okay to have additional support,” said Vargas.
When asked what the number one change that needs to be made to improve the overall mental health of students is Vargas suggests
“Being able to make friends that you feel comfortable with and safe with, working on building connections and communication with family members and practicing being open with family.”
