Youth Mental Health

May is mental health awareness month. With the mental health crisis among youth increasing now more than ever it’s imperative that we partner with youth and youth serving organizations to find solutions in order to address youth mental health needs. 

Below are two local organizations the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools has been partnering with in Washington D.C. to ensure we’re hearing directly from youth and their trusted mentors on what’s important and needed within school mental health supports and services.

Black Swan Academy is a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia that concentrates its efforts on empowering Black youth through Civic Leadership and Engagement. The Black Swan Academy empowers black youth in under-served communities through civic leadership and engagement, giving them a comprehensive set of tools needed to succeed in life and become active social catalysts in their communities. They are committed to creating a pipeline of Black youth leaders that are committed to improving self, as well as their communities. Marcus, Tionna and Annisha are youth leaders at Black Swan Academy, using their voice, experience and leadership to help others! Stay connected and learn more about Black Swan Academy by reading their 2021 Black Youth Agenda Report: bit.ly/BYAreport. Black Swan Academy now offers text updates. Text "JOIN" to (844) 604- 1683 to stay in the loop and keep your ears to the streets.

The Young Women’s Project (YWP) builds the leadership and power of DC youth so that they can transform institutions to expand rights and opportunities. YWP has two programs (Youth Health Educator Program (YHEP) and Youth Justice Campaigns (YJC) that engage more than 250 youth from 25 DC schools each year as educators, advocates, and employees. YWP has a 20-year track record of student engagement and working with and against government agencies (DOH, DOES, DCPS, CFSA, OSSE, SBOE, OSSE, DPR) to create rights and opportunities for young people – and to make sure those rights are implemented.
The young people featured in this video are part of YWP’s Mental Health Campaign Team, a city-wide network of 50 youth working together to build a peer-led mental health & wellness system that includes Virtual Wellness Centers, mental health education, peer wellness counselors, and links to community resources. They created Student On-line Support (SOS) Centers in 13 schools that provide interactive resources on a range of mental health & wellness issues (stress, trauma, brain science, resilience building, emotional & physical health) and connect to counselors and clinicians. Stay connected to YWP’s work here.
Youth are speaking and we need to listen and act! Let us know what youth engagement and youth serving organizations you’ve worked with locally or nationally to improve school mental health for youth.
National Resources for Youth
Evokate
A tool for young adults who are passionate about intersectional issues related to mental health and want to advocate for change. Topics include: racial justice & mental health, LGBTQ health & wellbeing, and equitable mental health care.
Tools from National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected. What we think can affect how we feel and act. And what we do can affect how we think and feel. Changing one can help change the others. We can use this fact to help ourselves feel better and live the way we want to live.
Simplified Fact and Resource Sheets
These are developed by the Youth Mental Health Project and help youth understand different mental health issues and how to advocate for support.
Grant Alerts
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities | Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Funding to assess state-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education and ensure that personnel have necessary skills and knowledge to successfully serve children. Learn more.
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Safety, Support, and Services for Survivors of Sexual Abuse in Youth Detention | Office for Victims of Crime
Funding to enhance partnerships between juvenile detention centers and community-based victim service providers. Learn more.
Deadline: June 2, 2022
Youth Arts/Culture, Sports, and Entrepreneurship Program Grants | MONAT Gratitude
Funding for nonprofit organizations or charitable entities to support new or existing initiatives in art and culture, sports and recreation or entrepreneurship. Learn more.
Deadline: June 4, 2022
Please note that CHHCS does not administer funding opportunities. Please refer to each organization for additional direction and details.
Job Opportunities
Licensed Mental Health Professional (Youth ACT) | The Mental Health Association of Westchester (Tarrytown, NY)
Responsible for recovery-focused mental health services through advocacy, community education and direct services Learn more.
School Counselor | Drew School (San Francisco, CA)
Responsible for providing emotional, social and psychological support for the development and well-being to the student body. Learn more.
Social Worker (LICSW Required) | DC Public Schools (Washington, DC)
Responsible for providing services to students with special needs and the general education student population. Learn more.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
May 27, 2022 | 11:00-12:00pm ET
Hosted by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
June 1, 2022 | 1:00-2:00pm ET
Hosted by Mental Health America
June 7, 2022 | 1:00-2:30pm ET
Hosted by the Southeast Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) Weekly Insider is a web-enhanced newsletter that offers news alerts, grant announcements and general web site updates delivered directly to your email box on a weekly basis. The Center is located at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
© 2022 Center for Health and Health Care in Schools