I send wishes for a coming new year filled with stronger mental health for all members of your families. It’s not always easy to be hopeful about this, and yet, hope is essential to the journey. We understand the many valid reasons and circumstances that allow hope to fade at times. I have certainly been there. I have had seasons in the past where it was very reasonable of me to have little hope, because I seemed like I could see no signs that was much to be hopeful about in my life. Now I can see that perspective gave me no way out and that is certainly a dangerous place to be. During that season I needed someone to tell me that accepting hopelessness was more about depression than lack of hope for the future. I needed to talk to people who understood why I felt so hopeless, and who made me feel less alone, because they had been on a journey similar to mine. Shared lived experience is the basis of peer-to-peer work. It is truly life-altering work for those who receive it and those who provide it. 

Peer-to-peer support is a gift that we get to offer family members in a variety of ways. Peer support is on our 2023 agenda in several forms, and we invite you to receive it from us and/or provide it with us, depending upon where you are in your journey at this time and throughout this new year. If your hope is in short supply, please reach out to us and let us connect you with others.

January 3rd at noon (MST)

January 10th at noon (MST)

January 18th at noon (MST)

January 24th at noon (PST)

A space for parents of youth with mental health challenges to learn skills of building their own resilience and to experience peer support.

The Family Support Line helps families navigate the youth mental health system (YES), connect to services, and find useful resources in an effort to empower parents as they advocate for their child and family needs.

Contact Madeline Titelbaum, Youth Programs Coordinator, for more information:

Youth MOVE Idaho groups are teen-driven wellness groups for high schoolers to develop friendships, play games, and discuss mental health topics and resources.

Youth MOVE Discord- Youth MOVE Discord is a virtual group for teens across the state to build community, play games, and practice mental health advocacy. This group meets Tuesdays from 6-7pm on the Discord platform. We are seeking teen participants and teen leaders from across the state.

Youth MOVE Social Support - Youth MOVE Social Support is an in-person group for teens who identify as neurodivergent and other teens who would benefit from a group like this. Join us for fun conversations, mental health advocacy, and games every other Wednesday from 5:00-6:30pm at the Boise Brick House for our meetings and games! 

Youth MOVE Downtown - Youth MOVE Downtown is an in-person group for teens in the Treasure Valley to do fun activities, eat free food, and discuss mental health topics and resources. This group meets every other Wednesday from 3:3-4:30pm at the Boise Brick House. 

The Boise Brick House is an after-school drop-in space for 9-12^th graders in the Treasure Valley to hang out with friends, eat free food, attend fun events, and have empowering conversations about mental wellness. The Boise Brick House is open Mondays-Wednesdays from 2:45-5:30pm for arts & crafts, games, movies, music, cooking & baking, and more!

One way they are doing this is by recruiting, training and supporting folks to speak to their lawmakers about this issue. We’re calling this event Operation Advocacy – Let’s Talk to Our Legislators. This event is about action. It’s about getting Idahoans talking to our decision makers. It’s about sharing our personal experiences in trying to access direct care support in Idaho. This is happening in conjunction with the Consortium for Idahoans with Disabilities Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol the third week in February. 

LINC is looking for folks with disabilities who receive care at home as well as their caregivers – paid and unpaid - to register early so they can adequately plan for accommodations, supports, and so forth. You can register for Operation Advocacy here. Please share this registration with others who might be interested. Together we can make a difference!