Counseling Corner

Suicide Prevention

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: We can help prevent suicide. The lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress. It also provides prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.  1-800-273-8255

  • Crisis Text Line: A free support at your fingertips. This is a 24/7 crisis text line that serves anyone, in any type of crisis, by providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via the medium people already use and trust: text.  Here's how it works: text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.  A live, trained crisis counselor received the text and responds quickly.  The volunteer crisis counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.  Cost - our service is complete free, but messaging rates apply if you're not on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile.

  • www.crisischat.org: Online emotional support.  Visitors logging on to chat will interact with a chat specialist who will give them space to talk about what they are upset about, exploring feelings and thoughts associated with the crisis.  Chat specialists will also assess for suicide risk and work collaboratively with the visitor to come up with a safety plan which addresses positive coping strategies and next steps.  The specialists who answer chats have had thorough training in crisis and suicide intervention, as well as specific topics such as youth issues.  If you are in imminent danger, dial 9-1-1.

Attendance

Getting your child to school on-time, every day, unless they are sick, is something that you can do to ensure your child has a chance to succeed in school. While others can help, you are the bottom line. You can promote good attendance when you:

  • Establish and stick to the basic routines (going to bed early, waking up on time, etc.) that will help your child develop the habit of on-time attendance.

  • Talk to your child about why going to school every day is critical and important unless they are sick. If your child seems reluctant to go to school, find out why and work with the teacher, administrator or afterschool provider to get them excited about going to school.

  • Come up with back up plans for who to turn to (another family member, a neighbor or fellow parents) to help you get your child to school if something comes up (e.g. another child gets sick, your car breaks down, etc.).

  • Reach out for help if you are experiencing tough times (e.g. transportation, unstable housing, loss of a job, health problems) that make it difficult to get your child to school. Other parents, your child’s teacher, principal, social worker, school nurse, afterschool providers or The School Response Team with The Child Center of NY can help you problem solve or connect you to a needed resource.

  • If your child is absent, work with the teacher to make sure she or he has an opportunity to learn and make up for the academics missed.  Please remember to provide the school with medical documentation or a note from home explaining the absences.

  • Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Johnson the school counselor with any concerns at 718-428-0587 or ejohnson6@schools.nyc.gov.

Bell Academy Anti-bullying Rules

Rule #1: We Will Not Bully Others.
Rule #2: We Will Try to Help Students Who Are Bullied.
Rule #3: We Will Try to Include Students Who Are Left Out.
Rule #4: If We Know That Somebody Is Being Bullied, We Will Tell an Adult at School and an Adult at Home.

Bell Academy's School Support Program With The NY Foundling

BELL Academy's School Support Program with The NY Foundling is a joint initiative between the Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene.  The team of social workers are assigned to BELL Academy on Thursdays.  Families may be self-referred or referred to the team by a BELL Academy staff member.  For further information please contact our school guidance counselor, Ms. Johnson.  ​