School District Forms Mental Health Task Forces Following Suicides Of Four Students
Officials say there is no evidence of a connection between the deaths of the students, one of whom was in elementary school. “Everybody has to be on alert now, because we know this is real,” said Phyllis Alongi, the clinical director for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide.
The Daily Bulletin:
4 Students In One California City Have Committed Suicide Since Start Of School Year
Three Rancho Cucamonga high school students and an elementary student have committed suicide since returning to school this month, officials have confirmed. In an email to families Tuesday, Aug. 21, Chaffey Joint Union High School District Superintendent Mat Holton said counseling teams of trained therapists have been deployed to three high schools to work with students and counselors. (Yarbough, 8/23)
In other public health news —
The Mercury News:
Measles Alert: Disease Confirmed In Contra Costa County
Measles, a disease particularly dangerous for nonvaccinated children, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems, reared its head earlier this month when a Lafayette resident caught the disease, Contra Costa County health officials said. The Contra Costa County Health Services Department issued an advisory about the exposure Wednesday. It’s the first case in the county since 2015. (Hurd, 8/22)