Grief counseling and support services are available at Mountain View High School after a student died by suicide this week, according to a notice sent to out by district officials.
The student, whose name is not being released, died on Tuesday, Oct. 1, district spokeswoman Cynthia Greaves confirmed. Notices were sent to community members around noon Wednesday.
The 17-year-old Mountain View resident was struck by a Caltrain in Mountain View on Tuesday night around 7:47 p.m. The incident was reported by Caltrain officials as a non-fatal pedestrian strike, but he later died of his injuries at a local hospital.
Additional counseling services are available to both students and teachers on a walk-in basis "for as long as needed," Greaves said. This is in addition to the full-time counselors and therapists on campus and the district's anonymous referral system.
"We are encouraging students to reach out for support. We are here to help them," Greaves said.
The district provided a half-dozen resources to families on coping with grief from the Palo Alto-based support group Kara, which can be found online. A comprehensive list of youth mental health resources can also by viewed here.
The identity of the student is not being released out of respect for the family's privacy, Greaves said.
Any person who is feeling depressed, troubled or suicidal can call 1-800-784-2433 to speak with a crisis counselor. People in Santa Clara County can call 1-855-278-4204. Spanish speakers can call 1-888-628-9454.
Comments
Gemello
on Oct 3, 2019 at 11:21 am
on Oct 3, 2019 at 11:21 am
How sad. May this young person rest in peace. Condolences to the parents and family members.
another community
on Oct 3, 2019 at 1:13 pm
on Oct 3, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Please make sure you keep the number 741741 memorized. This is the number for Crisis Text Line, where trained Crisis Counselors are available 24x7 to answer incoming texts. This is an anonymous, free service.
And if you are a parent or other adult in a child's life and they come to you saying they are feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, etc, please treat this seriously. If your child is trouble-free and outgoing, encourage them to reach out to others to provide support or just say Hi to the kids sitting alone at lunch. Start with Hello.
Old Mountain View
on Oct 3, 2019 at 10:30 pm
on Oct 3, 2019 at 10:30 pm
What a sad tragedy. Just breaks my heart. I pray for this poor child who thought this was the best way to get peace and I also pray for his / her family who is left behind to wonder why this happened