Luwang, R. O. (2022). Strengthening the mental health program of Philippine Science High School – Cagayan Valley campus : #YourMentalHealthMatters (Unpublished thesis). Public Management Development Program, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Public Management Development Program. Middle Managers Class. Batch 28. Capstone Paper Thesis (PMDP-MMC)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed great challenges and difficulties to everyone especially to the students and to the working class in maintaining their mental health and well-being in general. The objective of the capstone project was to design a mental health program suited to the needs and profile of the PSHS – CVC stakeholders. Different surveys and questionnaires were developed to determine the needs of the respondents, their state of well-being and struggles during the pandemic, their perceived mental health distresses, levels of their severity symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout. The implemented mental health programs, activities, and policies (PAPs) were evaluated by the respondents according to their effectiveness, impact, and sustainability. Results revealed that all the mental health PAPs implemented were effective. These mental health PAPs helped in the development of the physical, mental, social, emotional, and overall well-being of the respondents. In terms of sustainability, the respondents desired/wanted that majority of the implemented mental health PAPs be implemented during the current school year and be made sustainable. There were respondents who perceived themselves to be suffering from different mental health distresses. Among the listed mental health distresses, most respondents perceived themselves suffering from depression and anxiety. Student’s personal variables on the sources of mental health distresses were academic-related, family-related, personal-related, peer-related and others. On the other hand, employee’s personal variables on the sources of mental health distresses were work-related, family-related, personal-related, peer-related and others. In terms of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Scale (DASS) – 21 results most of the respondents were suffering from levels of severity symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress which were classified as mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe symptoms. Majority of the employee respondents were also suffering from burnout. Results from all these survey and interviews were conducted with the respondents were the bases in crafting the Enhanced Mental Health Program of PSHS – CVC.

Keywords: mental health program, mental health framework, mental health distresses, mental health PAPs, depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout