Cohen Fink: Family of 12th grade student who died by suicide pushes for mandatory mental health protocols in schools
The devastated family of a grade 12 student who took their own life has renewed their push for mental health protocols to be introduced in WA schools.
Cohen Fink was 17 when he committed suicide in 2019, just three days after completing his midterm exams at Warnbro Community High School.
It was only after his death that his parents found out that he hardly ever took the exams, instead spending most of his time scribbling disturbing notes, random words, song lyrics and doodles on his papers.
His parents, Pamella and Christian, have called on the McGowan government to enforce set guidelines on how all public schools must respond to concerns about student mental health.
“There are so many ‘what if’ questions and that’s what’s eating us up,” Ms Fink told 9NEWS.
“That day he drew pictures in that exam and that exam was watched at the end of the day and nobody called us to tell us anything about it.
“He was drowning and nobody threw him a lifebelt.”
The Finks also took legal action against Secretary of Education Sue Ellery last year, alleging the public school Cohen attended failed in its duty of care.
It was believed to be the first such case in WA as the family sought damages for the psychiatric injury, nervous shock and loss caused by his wrongful death.
In their calls for reform, the Finks said they believed Cohen might still be alive if mental health guidelines had been followed.
Former teacher Marks Cummins has joined the Fink family in their quest for change, saying all schools need the policies that are mandated.
Mr Cummins said too many WA schools either don’t follow mental health guidelines or only loosely enforce them.
“Perhaps most troubling is that the McGowan government is providing significant funding to both Catholic Education WA and ASWA to ensure these policies are mandated in all Catholic schools,” he said.
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