Get in touch

(708) 586-9050

eva@thecognitiveclinic.com

MHA announces new Youth Policy Accelerator

Young leaders from Mental Health America stand with CEO Schroeder Stribling

MHA Admin

Tue, 08/08/2023 - 17:18

Since launching the Young Leaders Council in 2017, Mental Health America (MHA) has worked with young leaders transforming their communities and demanding change across the country. Now, we are expanding our initiatives to advance youth leadership in national mental health policy via MHA’s Youth Policy Accelerator. Our inaugural cohort will focus on driving national conversations around youth peer support and peer services.

Who is it for?

This program is for young people ages 18-25 with diverse identities and experiences, who are passionate about peer support and are interested in expanding their network and skills in mental health policy. To form our first cohort, we will identify 10 leaders who have demonstrated leadership at the local, state, or national levels.

What is it?

In this eight-week paid virtual training, members will learn from and build relationships with leaders in the field, develop their personal strengths in policy advocacy, co-create surveys and original research, and develop recommendations and a campaign to advance youth and young adult peer support.

Members should anticipate dedicating two-four hours to the program per week throughout the duration of the sessions.

When and where is it happening?

The 90-minute sessions will be held via Zoom weekly on Saturdays from 1-2:30 p.m. ET/10-11:30 a.m. PT from Oct. 7 to Dec. 2, 2023.

Why should I join?

You should apply if you want to ensure all young people have access to peer support while growing your network and learning policy advocacy skills.

As a YPA member, you will:

Share your perspective to co-create a youth-driven agenda for peer support,
Grow your professional network,
Connect with and learn from national leaders, including other young people,
Gain valuable experience working on mental health policy, research, and communications,
Receive a $1,000 stipend,
Create a national-level campaign to share the cohort’s recommendations, and
Join MHA’s Expanding Impact Network of more than 100 outstanding graduates of MHA’s youth leaders programs for ongoing training and support.

How do I apply?

Learn more and apply at mhanational.org/ypc. Applications are due Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

For questions or support completing the application, contact Jackie Menjivar, MHA’s manager of peer and youth Advocacy, at jmenjivar@mhanational.org.

A distorted mirror: What caregivers need to know about tech and youth body image

By MHA Admin • August 30, 2023

I remember as a teen when I had to stare at my own and others' bodies in a mirror during ballet class for hours on end, day after day. That space is where I learned to feel ashamed of my body as I critiqued and compared myself to the people physically around me. Social media was just taking off in my teenage years, and I think about what might have happened, when at my most vulnerable, had I gone home, logged onto Instagram or Tiktok, and been fed message after message about restrictive diets, extreme weight loss, and self-harm.

Youth mental health: The impacts of pressures and stigma

By MHA Admin • August 22, 2023

B eing a student in the 21st century requires modern skills and coping mechanisms. We have constant access to quick communication and information, which schools don’t prepare them for, making it hard to navigate the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds.

Growing up in recovery: 3 peer programs that fill support gaps for young people

By MHA Admin • August 15, 2023

Adolescence is supposed to be a time of carefree exploration of the world around us. In a perfect reality, teenagers should be worried about extracurriculars and college applications. Unfortunately, the environment our teenagers have inherited is plagued by constant technological distractions and premature exposure to mature subject matter. With relentless divisions and suffering seemingly unavoidable, it's no wonder many teens are experiencing significant mental health challenges and, subsequently, substance abuse as a means of self-medication. In fact, more than 1.5 million youth in the U.S. reported a substance use disorder just in the past year.