May 2, 2013

YouthAction Raises Awareness About Teen Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! To help raise awareness, CCC’s youth advocates (YAMs) held a panel and released a public service announcement they created to raise awareness about teen mental health.

The PSA lays out the warning signs of possible mental health issues and directs teens to resources available in their schools, online, and in their communities. The panel discussion, moderated by the YAMs, included experts in the mental health field. In addition, the audience viewed the PSA. During their research for the PSA, YAMs found that 1 in 5 teens suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder, but that only about 20 percent receive the treatment they need. They also learned that untreated mental health issues can lead to suicide, the third leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. Based on what they learned, YAMs created a public service announcement to bring these statistics to light, and to encourage their peers to seek help if they need it.

Panelists discussed the importance of expanding access to school-based mental health services, overcoming the stigma of seeking treatment for mental health needs, and providing culturally appropriate mental health care. A range of mental health experts participated in the panel, including:

• Charles Soulé, Ph.D., Senior Psychologist, Pediatric Psychiatry, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian
• Scott Bloom LCSW, Director of School Mental Health Services at NYC Departments of Health & Mental Hygiene and Department of Education
• Alan Ross, Executive Director, The Samaritans of New York, Suicide Prevention Programs and Services
• Pam Corbett, Policy Associate for Health and Mental Health, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC)

We hope you will share the PSA widely.

You may also download Dr. Soulé,’s PowerPoint presentation on Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Services.

Tags
YouthAction NYC, Health

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