COLUMBUS, Ohio — As students prepare to return to the classroom, mental health experts are encouraging parents to check in on their children's emotional well-being and to act early if something feels off.

Karen Cousins, program director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Franklin County, is one of those advocates.

Cousins said, "Start checking it out and don't be ashamed, whether your child is 10 or 20. If they had heart disease, you'd investigate it."

Cousins' daughter struggled for years with her mental health and later died of a fentanyl overdose while experiencing homelessness. In the wake of that tragedy, Cousins turned her grief into purpose by helping families through NAMI Franklin County .

The nonprofit offers free classes, school-based education and suppor

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