美帕罗奥图举办支持我们的孩子：宗教界的回答研讨会

据海外媒体报道，2009年8月31日，美国加利福尼亚州帕罗奥图当地包括佛教、犹太教在内的六个宗教团体的领导人出席了在帕罗奥图伯莱社区中心剧院（Cubberley Community Center Theatre）举办的“支持我们的孩子：宗教界的回答”的研讨会并发表讲话，讨论青少年心理健康问题。本次研讨会由帕罗奥图市市长Peter Drekmeier 主持会议。

据悉，此活动是为了将各宗教和社区的独特理念作为力量和指导资源来服务整个社会而办。活动针对人群主要是成年人，但也欢迎不同年龄段的居民参加。此外，听众席上还有青少年咨询服务人员，以便在会后和参加者交流。而活动的大部分时间都用来回答社区居民的问题。

帮助组织这场活动的居民Penny Barrett表示，此次活动是一个向不同团队资源寻求帮助的好机会，并希望当社会试着寻找方式来应对先前三名青少年自杀事件时，各宗教也可以参加关于青少年心理健康的讨论。

今年5月份帕罗奥图青少年在加州火车轨道上卧轨自杀，近日，加州火车部门官员宣布他们将和学校、执法官员以及心理健康专家合作解决这一危机。“我们不认为这是所有宗教团体参与的结束，我们希望这仅仅是个开始。”（编译：子规）

Local faith groups had been planning a forum on teen mental health all summer, but Monday's event is taking on new significance after the apparent suicide of another Palo Alto teen Aug. 21.

Six local religious leaders from Buddhist, Christian Scientist, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant and Roman Catholic places of worship will speak at "Supporting Our Teens: A Multifaith Community Response." Palo Alto Mayor Peter Drekmeier will moderate the discussion, 7 p.m. Monday at the Cubberley Community Center Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto.

The idea behind the event is to "add the unique gifts of spiritual traditions and communities as sources of strength and guidance in service to the whole community," according to a statement about the upcoming event, free and open to the public.

Most of the evening will be dedicated to answering community members' questions.

Palo Alto resident Penny Barrett, who helped organize the event, said it could be an opportunity "to get people to turn to different sources (of help) that they might not have been turning to before."

The event is aimed at adults, Barrett said, but all ages are welcome. Adolescent Counseling Services staff will be in the audience, she said, and will be available to talk after the meeting.

Barrett said she hopes faith groups will be included in future discussions about teen mental health as the community tries to find a way to respond to the apparent suicides of three

Palo Alto teens on the Caltrain tracks since May. Caltrain officials announced this week they will collaborate with school and law enforcement officials and mental health experts to address the crisis.

"We don't think this is the end-all of faith groups' involvement," she said. "We hope this is a starting point."