CBH Care Supports Mental Health Initiatives in Bergen County Schools
CBH Care is partnering with Family Support Organization of Bergen County in September to help kick off student-driven programs to elevate ongoing mental health education and remove stigma associated with youth mental health issues.
Four Bergen County high schools are participating in the programs that are designed to help teens engage in a broader spectrum of mental health education, learn positive coping skills, dispel stigma, and elevate wellness.
CBH Care will sponsor resource and awareness presentations for each of the youth groups. Presentations will feature topics and introduce the youth to subject-area experts and people with lived experience related to each topic. A sample of topic areas may include:
Suicide Awareness and Prevention
Positive Coping Skills and Decision Making
Community Connections and Resources
Stress Management and Life Skills
Mental Health Matters and more.
COVID-19 Adds to Youth Stress and Anxiety
These new programs are particularly urgent considering how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected young people’s lives in different ways – whether by disrupting their support networks, deepening their sense of isolation, and/or increasing feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.
“Our vision is to establish and enhance community-based youth groups to help foster connections between youth and community resources and inform community partners of youth needs,” said Sue Devlin, CBH Care Executive Director. “Positive youth development programs engage young people in intentional, productive, and constructive ways while recognizing and enhancing their strengths. These programs promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and giving the support that is needed to develop young people’s assets and prevent risky behaviors.”
Indeed, statistics indicate that suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents ages 10-19 in the United States and rates are on the rise. A 2019 survey estimated that about 1 in 5 high school students nationwide seriously considered suicide in the previous year, a figure more than 35% higher than findings from a decade earlier.
“It’s important to educate youth about mental health and the signs and symptoms of illnesses so that discussions about mental health become the norm,” said Nicole Chiarello, CBH Care Director of Development. “By authentically engaging young people these programs can help build their self-esteem and foster resiliency while promoting their development and optimizing opportunities for a healthy and stable future.”
In addition to building mental health awareness, the programs will be structured to increase leadership, advocacy and professional development skills while also increasing young people’s influence and personal stake in their communities. “When youth are empowered and inspired to be socially aware, interconnected and civilly involved members of their school and community, positive behaviors and enhanced self-esteem will follow,” Devlin said.