Children First: NAMI creating safe space for Valley students

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- There is lots to celebrate for students at Central East High School.

It's the grand opening of the new "Clothing Closet" on campus, a project that marks a big step in their group's mission to make everyone feel welcome and worthy.

"The way it's fully stocked - the way it has clothes, shoes, formal attire and everything, seeing all that makes me happy to see that cause I know there are students on campus that will be able to have that, have access to it," says junior Adan Olague.

Olague is a junior at Central East and a member of the school's NAMI Club, which stands for "National Alliance on Mental Illness."

The closet is NAMI'S latest project.

The club holds monthly awareness campaigns, providing information to other students on topics like depression, stress, bullying, self-harm or learning disabilities.

Club members receive special training so they can better help their peers, as well as support for their personal struggles.

"When you go through it, you kind of recognize the signs," says Sangdeun Chomthong.

Intervention counselor Victoria Duong helped bring the NAMI club to Central East five years ago -- it was the first on a Valley high school campus.

"They need a club where they can feel comfortable in a safe environment," she said. "With activities, awareness, mostly focusing on the stigma where everybody is inclusive, where everybody should be -- a sense of belonging."

Central Unified has placed increased focus and resources on mental health training and support for staff and students -- at every grade level.

In just the past year, the district has doubled the number of intervention counselors and psychologists now available at every school site.

"It's just becoming more robust, so we are using what we know is effective, what has been working and we're adding more personnel and more training," says Shelby Tucker.

According to research by the Trevor Project, a national advocacy organization for LGBTQ youth, the need is especially great among LGBTQ students of color, who reported higher rates of attempted suicide than their white peers. Fifty-two percent of LGBTQ youth enrolled in middle or high school also reported being bullied in person or online in the past year.

"I had a few points in my past years of suicide thoughts, but I think those were times where I felt like I had nobody to talk to," Olague said. "But as I realized, there are a lot of people for me to talk to and I got out of those thoughts."

Having a supportive and safe space like the NAMI Club has also made a big difference for Chomthong, who struggled with cultural differences that often made her feel like she didn't fit in. Mrs. Duong has been an important part of her journey.

"I've known her since middle school, and she has helped me through a lot of things," Chomthong said. "I had to cope with stress I had been dealing with my education, the stress of being a good daughter, a good friend, a good student."

Watch more stories on local programs designed for the well-being and safety of kids. Children First: Keeping Kids Safe airs Sunday at 5 pm on ABC30.

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