Imperial Valley College Hosts Eighth Annual World Mental Health Day Summit

-Editorial

Imperial Valley College and Imperial County Behavioral Health Services hosted the eighth annual World Mental Health Day Summit on Oct. 9, bringing together students, mental health professionals, and community organizations to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and connect residents with mental health resources.

The event, titled “More Good Days,” was held at the Imperial Valley College Student Center and featured approximately 30 educational sessions, guest speakers, and more than 40 vendors and organizations providing information about services available throughout Imperial County.

World Mental Health Day is observed internationally Oct. 10 to promote awareness of mental health issues and encourage efforts to improve access to care. The Imperial Valley College summit took place one day before the observance.

Dr. Lupita Castro, director of Imperial Valley College Student Health Services, said the summit was established eight years ago in response to community needs and through a partnership with Imperial County Behavioral Health Services.

“This is our eighth annual event, World Mental Health Day Summit, and we started it based on the needs of the community,” Castro said.

She explained that the college recognized the importance of addressing mental health stigma among students and creating opportunities for young people to learn about available resources.

The summit also welcomed middle school and high school students, expanding its reach beyond the college campus.

“It’s so important to create a movement that really brings the students together,” Castro said.

Patricia Arevalo Caro, a behavioral health manager with Imperial County Behavioral Health Services, said the summit has continued to grow, with organizers building on previous events to improve programming and community participation.

“I think that each year builds on the previous year, and each year is better than the previous year,” Arevalo Caro said.

She emphasized that the event provides an opportunity for residents to learn about services offered by organizations that may not be widely known in the community.

“We have over 40 vendors here that are showcasing what they offer and passing out information about their services,” she said.

Arevalo Caro said connecting residents with available resources remains one of the summit’s central objectives.

“We like to see the community connect with people that can help them help themselves, or even just to get the information and keep it,” she said. “You never know when you might need it.”

The educational program included presentations on personal experiences, resilience, emotional well-being, and challenges associated with technology and social media.

Students from Kennedy Middle School participated in a presentation, while other speakers shared personal experiences involving mental health challenges and recovery.

“We have people talking about their stories of lived experience. We have people talking about their resiliency and how they’ve overcome different things to get to where they are today,” Arevalo Caro said.

She said the presentations were meant to offer encouragement and show that difficult experiences don’t have to determine a person’s future.

The summit also addressed emerging concerns involving cyberbullying, online safety and the misuse of artificial intelligence.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office presented a session on social media safety, focusing on risks affecting students, families and other internet users.

“Anybody can get scammed, anybody can get bullied on the internet or on social media,” Arevalo Caro said.

Castro acknowledged that students face increasingly complex challenges associated with smartphones, digital platforms and artificial intelligence. She emphasized the importance of reminding young people that professional assistance is available beyond online resources.

“The resources are not only on the phone or the internet. It’s real-life people you can talk to,” Castro said.

Another component of the summit highlighted the Positive Engagement Team, or PET, program, a partnership between Imperial County Behavioral Health Services and the Humane Society of Imperial County.

The program trains dogs from the Humane Society to participate in behavioral health outreach activities, visiting clinics and community events to help individuals feel more comfortable engaging with service providers.

Arevalo Caro discussed her dog, Betty, one of the first animals trained for the program. Betty completed her service during the COVID-19 pandemic, participating in virtual interactions when many services were conducted remotely.

The dogs typically serve for approximately six months before retiring and becoming available for adoption through the Humane Society.

Several current and retired program dogs participated in the summit’s activities. Arevalo Caro also mentioned Courage, a dog associated with the fire department who previously participated in the program.

Castro said planning for the annual summit generally begins about a year in advance, with organizers selecting topics based on emerging concerns affecting students and the broader community.

She said collaboration among participating agencies helps identify mental health challenges and develop educational sessions addressing those issues.

Castro encouraged students and community members to seek assistance when experiencing emotional difficulties rather than waiting for their concerns to become more serious.

“Please don’t wait; don’t hesitate whenever you feel you are not really yourself or you wanna feel better about yourself,” Castro said.