Magnifying The Mind - Teens Raising Awareness about Mental Health

 In Reach's Youth Ambassadors at Parkdale High School in partnership with the Parkdale Student Government Association held an awesome mental health forum. Pictured with presenters and adult facilitators.

“1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.”

On April 26, 2017, IN REACH’s Youth Ambassadors (YA) at Parkdale High School and members of the Student Government Association hosted a Mental Health Forum, Magnifying the Mind, to address teen mental health. The hands-on forum highlighted the warning signs of mental illness; coping mechanisms to handle stress; where teens can seek help; brought awareness to addiction, and how to break the stigma of “mental illness.”  

The diverse panel of mental health experts included Chmaika P. Mills, PhD candidate, Clinical Psychology; Audrey Forka, CRNP a Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; Pamela Little, CEO of Plate of X’pressions, LLC; Rossalyn Martinez, LCSWC and Jessica Prentice, LCSWC; Rosa Lindquist, yoga instructor; Ben Malecki, a youth advocate at Parkdale High School, and Tobacco Prevention Ambassadors from Parkdale HS.

Before beginning the program, YAs distributed a pre-forum survey to their peers, where they were asked, “How they would spot someone with a mental illness,” and “What characteristics they would possess?”  182 students responded, below are some of their responses:

• “It’s not something that you can easily spot there are some people who seem or look perfectly fine which is the outside appearance but on the inside that’s where the problem is.”
• “I don’t think there is a specific look for people with mental illness.  Some characteristics possible are physical impairments such as twisted mouths, slanted eyes, but people can look totally fine & still have mental illness.”
• “There are many different signs for all the different illnesses.  Sometimes you may not even spot things at all some could be triggered by words, or sounds while in other’s you could never know.  They look like all of us.”

During the forum, students rotated through several mental health stations, spending 10-12 minutes listening to different professionals speak on their area of expertise and the resources that they provide.  Students learned how anxiety/stress and other mental health problems can negatively impact cognition and academic performance, and the stigma associated with receiving school accommodation.  They also learned basic relaxation techniques; that using art as therapy can relieve anxiety; yoga and meditation relieve stress; and learned ways to give their brain a break when preparing for tests.  

At the end of the forum, students were surveyed and asked if their knowledge about the subject increased as a result of participating in this activity?  Of the student who responded, 32% said yes; 10% said no.

“Yes” responses included: 

• “I got to learn that those who need help have to speak out to get help because it may get worse if not treated over time.”
• “Before the health fair, I initially referred mental illness to retardation, autism, etc. But now I know it extends to other things such as depression and others, this really broadened/ opened my mindset.”
• “It has enlightened me that some people who have a mental disorder are mostly anxious or stressed; and also art and yoga helps to relieve stress.”

The Youth Ambassadors is a school-based college access with a service learning heart program. The program engages high school students in a variety of opportunities to become college and career ready lead meaningful service learning projects and build life skills through financial literacy. Learn more at www.inreachinc.org.

To Be Beautiful Means to Be Yourself - Children's #MentalHealth Matters!

May 1 – 7, 2016, marks the annual celebration of Children’s Mental Health Matters! Campaign Week. In Reach, Inc., has joined the Children’s Mental Health Matters! Campaign - a collaboration of the Mental Health Association of Maryland (MHAMD) and the Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) with support from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Behavioral Health Administration - to celebrate!

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health. According to Harvard University’s Center of the Developing Child, the foundation for positive mental health begins taking shape in the earliest years. Experiences in the first 3 years of life, from relationships with parents, caregivers, and teachers can significantly impact a child’s developing brain. Negative experiences during critical developmental years can have lifelong implications such as hindering a child’s capacity for learning and ability to relate to others. Many costly problems, ranging from the failure to complete high school to incarceration, could be dramatically reduced if attention were paid to improving children’s environments of relationships and experiences early in life.

Each year, the network of nearly 250 partners and schools throughout the state celebrates Children’s Mental Health Matters! with over a week of events, workshops, media, outreach and other awareness raising activities. National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week is geared toward raising awareness to the issues and causes integral to the children's mental health field in each of the communities across the country. 

To raise awareness and create dialogue about emotions and mental wellness among students, families, and educators, In Reach will host a family movie night at partner William Paca Elementary School in Landover, Maryland where it will screen the Disney film Inside Out. Students in In Reach's program at Kenmoor Middle School will view the movie and complete the Walk in My Shoes activity for the 4th Annual Anti-Stigma Art Project.  

For more information and resources for addressing children’s mental health, visit http://www.ChildrensMentalHealthMatters.org

Children's #MentalHealthMatters

MEDIA ALERT

May 8, 2015

Contact: Samantha Trotter In Reach, Inc.

240.334.6167

The Day May Have Passed but the Work Continues 

In Reach, Inc. and Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

What is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day?

In 2006, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services launched an annual national initiative called “National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.” Awareness Day is designated as a day in May of each year to coincide with May Is Mental Health Month. This day presents an opportunity for children’s mental health initiatives within SAMHSA to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families.

The theme of Awareness Day is “Thriving in the Community.” Children’s mental health initiatives will hold similar events and other activities throughout the country to build awareness that children’s mental health needs are real and that progress is being made toward developing effective strategies for achieving the vision of a life in the community for everyone.

Why does In Reach participate in Awareness Day?

In Reach participates in Awareness Day to magnify one of the often forgotten entities of the well-being of our youth, which is mental health.  Keeping in line with our vision of healthy, productive and prepared young adults, it is our duty to make mental health resources readily available.

Where can I get more information about Awareness Day and Child Mental Health?

For information and materials, and to learn more about children's mental health contact the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health and Children's Mental Health Matters.