Abraxas High to Host Mental Health Forum Saturday

Rancho Bernardo residents Rex and Connie Kennemer lost their son Todd to suicide more than five years ago. Their 25-year-old son had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Since their loss, the couple has helped spread awareness about mental illness and suicide prevention through their nonprofit organization Community Alliance for Healthy Minds. The fifth annual CAHM Forum will take place this Saturday at Abraxas High School. The forum will offer information and resources to help individuals and families with mental illness.

“After we lost our son, Todd, to suicide, we were just trying to reach out and see where we could influence and where we could get support as well,” Connie Kennemer said.  

Rex Kennemer became an active volunteer and mentor at Abraxas High School, a continuation school located at 12450 Glen Oak Road in Poway. This is the third year the forum will take place at the school.

“My husband thought about Abraxas and the fact that this school is a continuation school; it’s for kids that are here because they need a second chance,” Connie Kennemer said. “As Rex began to hear the stories of these kids, he knew that he found a place, a home, for what we wanted to do. Abraxas opened their arms and really welcomed us in.”

Although her son graduated from in 1998, Kennemer said her son would “blossom” at Abraxas.

“I can see Todd,” she said. “These are the kinds of kids—marginalized kids—that he always reached out to. I really see the imprint of Todd when I’m at the school and get to be a part of things happening here.”

Abraxas High School students have volunteered at and attended the annual forum, but it is open to all community members.

This year’s keynote speaker is Sara Gilman, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Gilman spoke at the forum two years ago, not too long after the wildfires.

“The trauma that this community was experiencing—there were parts of RB that were taken out," Kennemer said. "I think, as a community, we were experiencing [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]. That’s what she spoke on. It was powerful and it was just what we needed as a community for that year. We felt this year there was more that she could talk to us about.”

This year, Gilman’s presentation is about stress.

The forum will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast and outdoor resource fair. After the keynote address, attendees will be able to choose from a variety of breakout sessions to attend. The breakout sessions will address a broad range of topics, from grief and loss to art therapy. There will be sessions geared toward youth and others geared toward parents.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness San Diego will present two sessions called “In Our Own Voice.” The presentations will feature two speakers who will share their personal stories about living with mental illness and achieving recovery.

“It’s a really good eye-opener,” said Shannon Jaccard, the executive director of NAMI San Diego. “It allows people to not feel alone; it allows them to feel connected. To see someone with a mental illness able to talk in front of a group is a really good stigma buster.”

NAMI San Diego has participated in the annual forum for several years. 

“We’re extremely excited to support it,” Jaccard said. “Families and their loved ones that are dealing with mental illness need a place to go to for education, to connect with other people that are going through similar experiences. They need to know that recovery is possible.”

Cathy Kosich, a student services specialist and student council coordinator at Abraxas, said the forum has grown larger each year. Last year, there were 265 attendees. Organizers expect more than 300 attendees this year, she said.

“It’s for the community—anyone that has an interest in any of the topics that will be discussed,” Kosich said.

Although the event is free, donations will be accepted. Proceeds from the 2011 CAHM Forum will support at-risk individuals and families, and at-risk programs.

The Sheriff's Adolescent Group Adventure is among the programs at Abraxas that will benefit from funds raised. The SAGA program enables selected students to engage in team-building exercises at the Mataguay Scout Ranch.

“It really benefited me because I was new to the district,” said Andrea Brown, an Abraxas senior, who participated in the program last year. “I knew no one at this school. ...There’s five different schools that are coming here to Abraxas. They’re all coming here and they don’t know anyone."

Brown said the one-day field trip helped her build self-confidence and strengthened her communication skills.

“It’s really inspiring knowing that other students are there to help you," she said. “We need to have this every year. We really need students to come together.”

This year's forum is organized by CAHM in cooperation with Abraxas High School, Aurora Behavioral Health, Impact Young Adults, National Alliance on Mental Illness San Diego, Palomar Pomerado Health Community Action Council of Poway/RB/PQ, Survivors of Suicide Loss, Safety Wellness Advocacy Community Coalition and Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program.

“We just want to touch the nerves that are being exposed in our community because of the stigma of these things,” Kennemer said. “Mental illness doesn’t get talked about because it’s the hidden chronic illness of our society. But it’s there.”

To learn more about CAHM or to donate, visit cahmsd.org.

To pre-register for the 2011 CAHM Forum, e-mail cahm@san.rr.com or call the CAHM message line at 858-395-3950. Include your first and last name, phone number, e-mail address, ZIP code and the first and last names of others who will be attending with you.

Attendees must register by Wednesday to receive a participant package and lunch. The forum is open to those who don’t register by the deadline, but a participant package or lunch cannot be guaranteed.