Hello Carol,

Our Youth Action Board (YAB) teens were recently asked...

"From your perspective, what is the biggest issue or

challenge teens are dealing with currently?"

Following are a handful of many responses all of which had something to do with teen mental health. Read on...

Probably mental health, I don't know many kids that are actually doing well mentally. Most of them have some type of problem, whether it be anxiety, another issue, or they are just struggling with school or their parents.

The biggest concern is peer pressure. Some teens may go to an event with friends where they don’t plan to use substances, but seeing their friends having fun with substances convinces them to try also.

I think that teens need more support with time management and organization. I notice that a big reason why people's grades dip is due to not submitting assignments on time which can become a habit and negatively affect mental health.

I believe the biggest issue for a teen to struggle with right now would be any mental health issue. I say this because a teen struggling with mental health may not feel like there is enough resources to get help, cause there isn't many at the moment. So when they get no help things can worsen and kids may start using drugs and substances or maybe even get suicidal thoughts, which is not always the case but sometimes is. Therefore, I think mental health issues is a huge challenge for a lot of teens.

Social anxiety and social media

I would definitely say stress and balancing school with other sports/clubs/etc.

Vaping and marijuana use comes in second in terms of what YAB teens see as the two biggest concerns for their peers.

As the teen mental health crisis continues, your financial investment in the work BBCC does is more important than ever and enable us to:

• Continue our teen substance use and mental health surveys that provide critical, timely snapshots of our teens in our community
• Offer education, tools, activities, and support
• Provide a safe, healthy space for teens to gather, connect and share with one another that creates a space to be seen, heard, validated, and belong

All of which help youth rise above life’s challenges by making informed decisions about their safety, health, and wellness, as well as encouraging adults to thoughtfully support them.

We are grateful for you!

Stay safe, stay healthy,

Carol Mastroianni

Executive Director

Kelly Michaud

Youth Program Coordinator

THE YAB: HEALTHY, FUN AND SAFE WAYS FOR TEENS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER

WHY TEENS BELONG TO THE YAB...

I find YAB to be unique in the way it centers student opinions and ideas. It was very easy, even as a new member, to make my voice heard and I felt like my opinions mattered, which is a big part of what led to me liking the group so much and feeling like I could make a difference.

It's incredibly inclusive of many different types of people.

I love that I feel so safe in this club and it makes me so happy every time I go to the meetings because I connect to so many people.

YAB stands out to me because it is a place where I feel comfortable speaking my opinions and sharing to people, knowing that my voice will be heard and acknowledged.

The YAB stands out to me because it is a group of intelligent people who are able to resist peer pressure and cope with some of the stress that is put on us. We help other people to use healthy coping mechanisms for stress. Another reason is because of all of the involvement and dedication to expanding the program. Educating people from a young age and trying to prevent unhealthy behaviors from developing in the future could be influential on someone’s future. YAB is very involved in our community and it is inspiring to see how much people can care and to see others who are passionate in the same topics.

122 Bowers St., Unit 44

Birmingham, MI 48009

Phone: (248) 203.4615