This article was written by Regina Ahn. It was posted on FOX5 on August 2, 2023.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -School is almost here for Clark County students and parents, and according to experts, prioritizing mental health is essential for a successful year.
"When mental health isn't optimized, I think we see it in a multitude of ways, whether that's being able to manage stress, anxiety, energy levels, ability to engage," said psychiatrist Dr. Farzad Kamyar.
Kamyar says prioritizing mental health is important to set up for success for both students and parents.
“For kids, I would say the single best, most readily available resource will be their parents or caregivers making sure that we have this foundation for open lines of communication, where they feel comfortable expressing, 'Hey this is what's going on,'" Kamyar explained.
He added that this may be a stressful time in the days before school begins, as schedules are changing and day-to-day responsibilities can get tricky, but he says the best thing to do is stay calm.
“If I'm a parent, super calm and relaxed with my approach, then they're going to feed off that and translate that to whatever the situation is that's at hand," said Kamyar.
For students, a good resource is Boys Town Nevada, an organization providing mental and behavioral health resources to families all across the valley. They have a presence in 83 schools across the district. The organization's Dana Roseman says their goal is to help students with any troubles and to stay successful in school.
“Teaching them the skills that they need so they can be better citizens in their schools, eventually better citizens in the city," Roseman said.
To watch the full interview, click here.