Alcohol, smoking down, depressed high up on the Framingham

Cigarette and alcohol use was reduced by Framingham High School and High School, while marijuana use, bullying and depression have increased, according to the latest MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey.

In general, there have been some positive developments identified in the 2010 contribution to the biennial questionnaire MetroWest Health Foundation, Framingham High principal Mike Welch said at the presentation in the evening school board Tuesday. But after a few releases, including an absolute increase in the number of reports of suicidal thoughts, are cause for concern.
"That's probably what we saw in the most alarming data," said Welch.

Taken at the school and the seventh and eighth grades in Framingham MetroWest and other towns in 2006, 122-question multiple-choice examination is now starting to show some clear trends, officials say. Cigarette smoking and drinking declined by 4.9 percent and 6.8 percent respectively in high school during those four years, for example. Violence is also a 2.7 per cent during this period.

The use of marijuana, meanwhile, grew up in middle school, and remained about the same in secondary schools. Welch attributed the increase to the decriminalization of drug use in Massachusetts, three years ago, which led to a cavalier attitude among students.
"We have kids come to us and say," Well, it's not forbidden anymore, "he said.

Bullying victimization reports have increased by almost 10 percent in high school - nearly twice the rate of 5 percent of MetroWest.

Part of that is probably associated with great attention the issue received as a result of suicide Phoebe Prince in South Hadley and the subsequent response of the state two years ago to adopt new anti-bullying law, officials said.

"You have to accept that, in context," said Welch. "I think that leads to an imbalance in response to a certain extent."

A more promising development is that bullying seems to decline steadily as students got older, reaching the seventh grade. It was reported more often girls than boys, Welch said.
The challenge for teachers and administrators, students become aware that bullying is actually said Walsh High School Key Teresa Carney.

"You will find different definitions depending on who you ask," she said.
Officials said, trying new health education programs, sharing of resources between schools and the distribution of pamphlets and holding informational meetings has been helpful in this regard.
More upsetting officials reported a sharp increase in suicidal thoughts. The level of students who answered they considered suicide is almost twice in high school since 2006, and was significantly higher among girls than boys, Welch said.

The problem is that "schools are not mental health," he said, which creates a double challenge for schools to provide students with access to outside social services while keeping them engaged in class. Framingham High has recently received a two-year grant of $ 150,000 from the MetroWest Health Foundation to hire more staff to help students deal with mental health problems.

This is the ultimate guide counselors, social workers, nurses and other staff who help students struggle with depression and stress to go through the school day, officials said.
"We could not do it without them," said Carney. "They do a terrific job."