PEABODY — The city has launched a new website with community resources for mental health support, anti-bullying initiatives and suicide prevention.
The Peabody PROMISE website, found at peabody.k12.ma.us/peabody-promise/, is the central hub for the city’s task force that’s working to tackle these issues, the city said in a statement Thursday.
The PROMISE acronym stands for Preventing suicide, Reducing stigma, Offering support, Making meaningful change, Investing in mental health, Standing against bullying, and Empowering the community.
“We believe Peabody PROMISE will be a cornerstone of hope and change for our city, creating a stronger, more compassionate support network for everyone,” Mayor Ted Bettencourt said in the statement.
On this website, visitors can find virtual resources such as mental health tools, coping strategies, bullying prevention forms and links to the 988 suicide prevention hotline.
Meeting notes, event announcements and ways for community members to join action teams or otherwise take part in the initiative will be posted on the website, which is also accessible through a link on the city’s official website.
The website and its resources are a part of a larger response by the city to address bullying and mental health issues, particularly among its schoolchildren, in response to the suicide of Higgins Middle School eighth-grader Jason Bernard in May after he faced bullying by classmates.
This response includes a new mental health center that opened for students at the Higgins this fall, employing three full-time mental health clinicians students can work with.
For more information on the PROMISE initiative and for resources, visit peabody.k12.ma.us/peabody-promise/.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com.