That was until Areli faced mental health challenges of her own, and decided to use her experiences to open up the conversation and inspire others with her vulnerability. In her journey of healing she has created a path for others to do the same. And as this year’s undergraduate Student Voice of Mental Health Award winner, Areli continues to dedicate herself to being an advocate for all.

A first-generation college sophomore at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Areli is studying to one day become a clinical psychologist. She founded KeepInMind, an initiative committed to raising mental health awareness that has expanded across her college campus through support groups and weekly workshops. Areli is also a mental health peer advocate, podcast host, writer, and short film producer.

The Jed Foundation (JED) created the Student Voice of Mental Health Award to recognize students for their outstanding efforts to raise awareness for mental health issues and encourage help-seeking behaviors in their school communities. The award includes a $3,000 scholarship and presentation of the award at JED’s annual gala in New York City on June 3, 2024. 

We talked to Areli about her efforts to create a culture of vulnerability and acceptance.

What does it mean to you to have won this award? 

It means I am moving in the right direction in my mental health advocacy work. I’ve been fond of The Jed Foundation’s work for a while, and I have been keeping my eye on the award, as well as previous winners and the incredible efforts they have been making in the youth mental health space. The fact that I am now in their company and being recognized for my work serves as a reassurance that I’m making a positive impact. I feel empowered to keep going. 

You speak very openly about the mental health challenges you’ve experienced, which takes a lot of courage. What has allowed you to be so candid and confident in conversations around mental well-being?

When I first left psychiatric treatment in 2020, I was very open with a friend about what I had just been through. I did it even though I was hesitant to be open with anybody. My friend’s response was very encouraging in the sense that she had gone through similar experiences with her mental health. It was a powerful moment for me that showed that vulnerability invites vulnerability. If you open up, you might encourage someone else to share their story and find strength. It also was a catalyst for deepening my relationship with my friend, which showed me that being vulnerable can create a path to deeper, more meaningful connections.

Based on your experiences working in the youth mental health space — and being a young person yourself — what do you think teens and young adults need to be more comfortable opening up about when it comes to their mental health?

We need to break down stigmas around mental health and barriers to help-seeking, and a big part of that is seeing the adults in our lives talk about uncomfortable, heavy things in an open and transparent way. We also need to see that behavior at school and in the media we consume every day. Mental health is often talked about in such a cautious, selective way. We need to be having real, raw conversations about what it can look like to struggle with your mental health and get help. Like I said, vulnerability can inspire vulnerability! 

You created the KeepInMind initiative to raise mental health awareness. As part of that, you also launched a podcast on which you and your peers talk about mental health topics such as overcoming trauma and comparing yourself to others. Can you talk more about your inspiration for those efforts and your goals for each?

During the pandemic, so many of us were not having in-person interactions and we were feeling isolated. I got the idea to start an Instagram page to discuss mental health and spread awareness in a way that’s accessible to all. I reached out to my community’s social media page where local events and initiatives are featured, and once they posted about KeepInMind, it took off! 

I received a lot of feedback from people in the community who were interested in being part of the conversation and sharing their own mental health experiences. That led me to start support groups and look for even more ways to unite the community around mental health. Now I have a team from my hometown that I collaborate with to keep the initiative going, and I’m proud to say it has been growing with me. As I start to look toward my career, I hope I will not only be able to give people a space to talk about their mental health, but I’ll also develop the skills to train them to be mental health advocates. 

Can you talk a little bit about the impact your family — namely, your mother and sisters — has had on your mental health journey and decision to become a mental health advocate?

The women in my life are warriors who have gone through so much. They are huge inspirations to me. As I was growing up, I saw the trauma they experienced and I felt empowered to be a source of healing for them. They taught me that it’s possible to still live a beautiful life despite experiencing trauma. That trauma is not a barrier — it is just an obstacle to overcome. 

My family is the primary reason I have a great interest in working with Hispanic communities. Not only because I was raised in one and it’s a big part of who I am, but also because I believe Hispanic culture is one of resilience and one I want to celebrate and add to. 

With all you do, how do you make time to care for your own mental health? 

I’m a big advocate for therapy. It has helped me on my journey and it’s something I’ll continue to utilize. It’s a space for me to unravel my thoughts and my experiences. I’ve also developed a meditation practice over the past few years. It’s non-negotiable every single day to let my mind stop for a little bit and just breathe. 

Journaling is also a big part of my daily life and mental health routine. My pen and paper will never get tired of me talking about the same thing. It has been helpful for me to understand my experiences and better understand myself. All those things help me stay grounded and give me perspective.

The post Student Voice of Mental Health Award Winner Areli Rosales on the Power of Vulnerability appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

After engaging in meaningful conversations with friends, he began to open up to them — and himself — about the challenges he faced. He then made the brave decision to use his experience to advocate for youth mental health. 

As this year’s high school Student Voice of Mental Health Award winner, Rick has dedicated himself to combating mental health stereotypes and putting teens and young adults at the forefront of conversations and decision-making about youth mental health. 

He is the youngest member of the Mental Health America Young Leaders Council for 2023-2024, as well as the co-founder and CEO of Frontiers of Fulfillment, a nonprofit that offers advocacy and lobbying workshops in over 30 states to amplify youth voices in policymaking. In his school district, Scarsdale Public Schools in New York, Rick organized and implemented SchoolSight: A Comprehensive Mental Health Vision, an initiative aimed at identifying and implementing evidence-based interventions to safeguard student mental health. Findings from the research ultimately led Rick, along with his peers and district superintendent, to secure a $125,000 grant to create wellness spaces for 5,000 local students. Rick is continuing his advocacy work through his senior year of high school and into his college career, which he will begin at Harvard University in the fall. 

The Jed Foundation (JED) created the Student Voice of Mental Health Award to recognize students for their outstanding efforts to raise awareness for mental health issues and encourage help-seeking behaviors in their school communities. The award includes a $3,000 scholarship and presentation of the award at JED’s annual gala in New York City on June 3, 2024. 

We talked with Rick to learn more about his advocacy and impact.

What does it mean to you to have won this award?

Receiving this award is quite surreal, because I never thought I would get it. When I got accepted, I thought to myself, “Hey, I really did this.” But it wasn’t just me, there were so many people who helped me along the way. My sister supported me continuously, my parents drove and flew me places, and all the other advocates and councils I’ve partnered with encouraged me to apply. It feels great. 

You’re doing incredible work to break down mental health stereotypes, including the model minority myth, a damaging stereotype that affects Asian-American students. How have these stereotypes factored into your mental health journey, and why is shattering them crucial to protecting youth mental health?

The model minority myth certainly played a large role in my mental health journey. Throughout middle school and into high school, I faced the societal expectation — and expectations within my community of Asian-Americans, specifically, Chinese-Americans — to be a high achiever. I found it really hard to be proud of myself, because there’s a lot of comparison. Even if I got a 99 on an exam, there would be some kid who got 100 — and those kinds of details are discussed and criticized in my community. There was always a way to be better, and I had to learn to cope with that pressure.

When it comes to improving youth mental health, it’s very interdisciplinary. Different cultural factors are at play and they need to be addressed for young people to get the support and help they need. For example, there are cultural barriers that often prevent youth from accessing mental health services in the first place. Those are the kinds of obstacles we need to tear down so no one goes without help.

You spearheaded an initiative, SchoolSight, to implement evidence-based mental health interventions in your school district. One of those interventions is creating wellness spaces in your high school. Can you share more about the inspiration behind that effort?

I attended a district mental health meeting. The sentiment that came out of it was that students are stressed, but that’s just a common thing that occurs and there isn’t much that can be done about it. My immediate thought was, “If there’s a problem, there is a way to solve it. I have to do something.” That started my journey of finding ways to better fund mental health services in my school. 

I conducted interviews with district psychologists, social workers, and other stakeholders in my county, and students and parents too. I learned that students were definitely stressed out, but they weren’t visibly distressed, and a lot of the mental health funding my district received was for high-risk students showing signs of distress. The funding wasn’t wasted, but it wasn’t being optimized for the needs of students in my particular district. 

I attended Congressman Jamaal Bowman’s Youth Leadership Conference in May 2023, and that’s where I came up with the idea of implementing wellness centers in my district. I later presented the idea to a group of legislators and worked with my district superintendent to secure a grant for the project. 

We’re working on creating wellness spaces with students’ needs at the center, which we’re learning about through upcoming surveys. We’re also working on deploying wellness kits in every classroom. These kits will have stress balls and other fidget-items and resources to help students ease stress and anxiety before or after a test, or whenever they need it.

The pandemic was a difficult time for so many of us, but you used the challenges you faced as a catalyst for positive change in your life and in the lives of others. Can you tell us more about that?

I’ve used various aspects of my lived experience as a catalyst for the advocacy work I’ve engaged in. I think leaning on our lived experiences is crucial for proper mental health dialogue and storytelling. Real stories are often more impactful than a statistic, or they shed more light on a statistic. They should also inform policy. Youth with lived experience coping with mental health challenges should be working alongside seasoned professionals to shape services, practices, and policies.

With everything you do, how do you make time to take care of your emotional health?

I’m a former professional esports player, but I still play a lot of video games with my friends. That might come across as a cliché teenage boy, but I find that it’s de-stressing and bonds me and my friends together. I also enjoy playing soccer or Spikeball with my friends on the weekends, playing board games with my family, and beatboxing. I sometimes practice beatboxing to de-stress. It lets me create my own internal rhythms that let me focus when I’m doing work or other things. 

What’s next on your advocacy agenda as you approach high school graduation?

I’m definitely looking to continue working on the initiatives I’ve started, and I’m passing down info and ideas to some younger advocate friends so they can continue the work after I’ve graduated. 

I hope to discover new avenues for mental health activism and research and continue advocating for the importance of youth voices in youth mental health and school mental health policies. If we genuinely want to make a difference, then adults need to do more than allow young people to speak up. They have to actively encourage youth to share their novel ideas and perspectives and create spaces where young people feel safe to express their thoughts. We deserve to be treated as equal partners in these conversations, which ultimately have outcomes that affect our well-being.

The post Student Voice of Mental Health Award Winner Rick Yang on Helping Youth Take Up Space appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

The Bissinger Room at Stevens Institute had never seen so much color. Strings of neon stars hung from the walls, bright streamers swayed from the ceiling, and black lights reflected off the painted faces of students, who showed up dressed in equally radiant shirts for Neon Nights—the kickoff event for a new, student-led fundraising series by The Jed Foundation (JED). Neon Nights engages students in a fun and innovative way to raise awareness and funds for JED’s critical work in mental health. Each event begins with a student-led ceremony featuring personal stories, flows into a brightly-colored parade through campus, and ends in a celebratory glow dance party. 

“This is a really important topic, especially to talk about on college campuses, where a lot of people are going to be feeling stress and damage to their mental health and struggling to deal with it while they’re away from home for the first time or dealing with hard classes,” said electrical engineering student and student volunteer Ha-mil Hutty. “This is a tech school. A lot of classes are very hard. A lot of majors are very hard. So having focus on mental health and being able to help other people is always good.” 

“Mental health, though not really a controversial topic, is definitely a rising topic that’s finally getting the attention it deserves,” added student volunteer Emanuel Diaz. “Now’s the time to give it support and keep the momentum going.”

As the first event, students at Stevens Institute set a high bar, raising $13,000 for youth mental health and suicide prevention. The energy in the room was brightened by the 70 students in attendance, all of whom had a clear passion for the cause, exhibiting enthusiasm about improving their own mental wellness and supporting their peers. 

The night began with speeches from student leaders Sydney Linford and Drew Carranti, who shared powerful stories about their own challenges with mental health through the transition to college and COVID-19 pandemic to the crowd. 

“I was constantly stressed about maintaining my grades, and living up to society’s, my parents’ and my own expectations,” said Carranti. “My depression made it difficult to be happy, even in life’s best moments.”  He also urged his classmates to reach out for help whenever they need it. “Crisis resources and therapy can be a lifesaver in your darkest moments. It’s so much harder to cope–and heal–alone.”

“We all live and study in an incredibly fast-paced and high-stress environment, and I think we all agree that we’ll take all the help we can get,” said Linford in her opening speech. “I want every student at every school in the nation to get the mental health services they deserve, and that’s why I’m so proud to be a part of Neon Nights with all of you.” 

After the stories, students marched through parts of the campus lit up green to the final event space, a dance floor illuminated by blacklights and filled with neon balloons, beach balls, and streamers. 

As much fun as the students had, many shared that they were there for deeply personal and important reasons. 

Justin Baumann was there to show support to those in his fraternity who are struggling. “Though I haven’t been diagnosed with—or struggle with—anxiety or depression, a lot of our brothers, and a lot of people all their lives, suffer,” he said. 

Jenna Giesecke, a rising junior at Stevens, helped organize the event to speak openly about her own experiences with mental health, particularly at the height of the pandemic. All the hours she spent following the rising number of COVID-19 cases on her phone added stress to her daily life and played a part in the development of a tic disorder. Since then, she’s made great strides in improving her mental health and wants to find ways to help her other students find that same peace. 

“Rates of anxiety and suicide are higher than they’ve been before, especially after the pandemic threw everybody off,” said Giesecke. In fact, 30% of college students have experienced a mental, emotional, or behavioral health issue in the past year. “Today’s world is stressful, so it’s just really easy to fall into a hole. I think bringing awareness to mental health is something that’s important and needed.”

Student volunteer Jenna Giesecke reflects on how to help a friend who’s struggling.

Neon Nights will soon be rolling out on campuses across the United States. The next event will be held on April 13 at the University of Tampa. Learn more, and show your support, here. 

The post It’s Glow Time: Stevens Institute Lights Up for Neon Nights to Support Mental Health appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

The Jed Foundation (JED) is honored to award Audrey this year’s high school Student Voice of Mental Health Award for her advocacy work. The award, which includes a $3,000 scholarship and an invitation to JED’s annual gala in June, recognizes students for their outstanding efforts to raise awareness for mental health and encourage help-seeking behaviors among those in their communities.

We talked with Audrey about her work and the power of social media to change the future of youth mental wellness. 

Q: What does it mean to you to have won this award?

A: I feel like flying over the moon to have won this award from JED, as I have looked up to JED during the steps and missteps in my mental health advocacy journey. When I think back to two years ago when I wanted to become an advocate, I did not know where to start. I decided to create opportunities for myself such as coding a site for mental health or leading my peers to perform diabolo (Chinese yo-yo) to de-stress. I have always kept my eye open for opportunities to work with amazing organizations and I cannot believe I am now a part of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Common Sense, and the Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness (TAM) Program. Truly, it feels like all the people that have believed in me as well as the people I have helped have won this award together.

Q: You mention that imposter syndrome played a role in your own understanding of mental health. How did your experiences inspire your work?

A: The feeling of imposter syndrome distinctively resonated with me the first time I learned about it during a women in tech panel. I was surprised that over 70% of individuals experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives, and it made me feel that I am not alone. Before this panel, I had my eyes set on pursuing computer science, but after, I realized I could use my voice and skills in technology to make a splash in other fields. Although imposter syndrome is often associated with negative feelings, like never feeling good enough, it also inspired me to explore psychology on a deeper level. 

Q: Technology is your medium for social change, and that’s clear when looking at your website, Affective Cookies. Tell us more about it.

A: As a coder, I wanted to harness my coding skills for social good. As a mental health advocate, I wanted to take my learning about youth mental health and incorporate that into my project. Affective Cookies is the perfect intersection of my love for computer science and psychology.

Affective Cookies is a platform to combat mental health issues through empathy and inclusivity. The main concept is to encourage future generations to use social media in a healthy manner. So far, there are three main functionalities. The user can reflect and build a sense of belonging with a custom, animated mental health card. They can scroll through their mental health-filtered social media feed, which classifies the content sentimentally (positive, neutral, mental health sensitive, or negative). Behind the scenes, the mental health feed works by taking the user’s feed and entering it into a machine-learning algorithm, which is like the computer’s recipe to learn how to perform a task. Users can also see how their text comes across, by determining the sentiment of the message and determining whether the message could be more inclusive. If the user inputs a positive message, they are awarded cookie points to reinforce prosocial behavior. I am sure the users could get some benefits of less stress and anxiety from Affective Cookies.

Q: What role should technology play in the future of youth mental health?

A: Technology should help, not hinder, youth mental health. Social media started as a creative outlet to share our ideas and stay connected with the world, but it has morphed into a crowded space filled with negativity, addiction, and mental health concerns. Not to mention, the addictive nature of social media has only become more severe in the past decade. Developing smart apps to counter cyber addiction would be a big challenge, but would also be necessary for future youth. If I can wave a magical wand and change one thing about how social media is currently affecting youth mental health, I would definitely change how cyberbullying affects teens. Words matter and can have a lasting imprint on our memories.

Over the past few years, we have seen technology start to make mental health services more equitable, but we still have a long way to go to ensure these technologies are evidence-based practices and accessible to all, regardless of income, location, or other factors. It would be a success if all youth, especially those in underserved regions, can access teletherapy, online counseling, or mental health apps when they need them.

Q: You’ve spoken on panels and served as an ambassador for various organizations. How have these experiences informed your understanding of youth mental health?

A: Being an ambassador for several organizations, I got to hear many stories and struggles regarding youth mental health spanning media, technology, kindness, and bravery. I spoke at the TAM Youth Panel, where I shared my insights on cyberbullying and health with researchers. At Common Sense’s Notes to My Middle School Self, we shared our experiences and advice on starting out with the digital world and how important it is to set healthy boundaries with technology. I learned about many different strategies that researchers, parents, educators, and mental health professionals are all trying to tackle the issue of youth mental health crisis. Not one strategy is a one-size-fits-all youth solution, due to the intricate biopsychosocial states everyone has. Adequate sleep, a well-rounded diet, and physical activity are all friends of optimal mental health. My biggest takeaway is the importance of taking preventive measures. Before youth join social media, it is crucial for them to examine the pros and cons with good guidance.

Q: With everything you do, how do you make time for your own well-being?

A: As a busy high school student, I often have to choose schoolwork over my mental health. Sometimes when I do put my mental health first, I can’t help but feel a still tinge of guilt that I should be more productive. But as someone deeply involved in mental health, I am aware if I am on the verge of burning out or feeling out of control in my own life. In my opinion, making time for self-care is a matter of time prioritization and setting healthy habits.

Before I go to sleep, I do guided meditation such as yoga nidra to help me release the tension I have accumulated from the day before. When I have time, I like to journal and write calligraphy. On the weekends, I often take time to go outside to get sunshine. Whenever I have small wins, I write down a little note and place it in my “cookie jar” so I can pull one of my notes out at my low moments.

Unfortunately in our current society, we revolve around the hustle culture in which it is difficult to slow down. My friend changed my perspective by asking, “How do you keep your cup full? You give so much of yourself to others, how do you make sure Audrey is doing well?” This question lingered in my mind for a week. After hearing an expert explain if you sacrifice yourself to help others, you are inadvertently making the receiver a beneficiary. The metaphor of needing to keep filling up your cup while you can share some with others helped me realize that by making time for my own mental health, I am helping myself help others.

The post Student Voice of Mental Health Award Winner Audrey Wang on Using Technology to Foster Empathy and Inclusivity appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

As this year’s undergraduate Student Voice of Mental Health Award winner, Jose has dedicated himself to giving everyone in his community a chance to talk openly about their journeys with mental health. In high school, he founded In Touch, the school’s first mental health awareness nonprofit created to give students a place to connect and share their mental health stories. Inspired by his passion for storytelling, Jose later started Get In Touch, a blog where young people submit stories on a variety of mental health topics. Currently a freshman at Florida International University, Jose is pursuing a degree in psychology and hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.

The Jed Foundation (JED) created the Student Voice of Mental Health Award to recognize students for their outstanding efforts to raise awareness for mental health issues and encourage help-seeking behaviors among those in their communities. The award includes a $3,000 scholarship and attending JED’s annual gala in New York City on June 7. 

We talked with Jose to learn more about his work and its impact. 

Q: What does it mean to you to have won this award?

A: Winning this award signifies the collective strength and resilience of new generations that carry the purpose of the common good of all people and strive to cultivate an understanding of mental health in our communities.

I will not claim that I am the most impactful student in the world or even within the South Florida community. I will say, however, that my work speaks the voices of thousands now and thousands more to come in the future. This award is not solely for me; it also recognizes Latino, queer, first-generation, and low-income communities that are represented through my efforts and will continue to benefit from the awareness and resources that I advocate for.

The JED Student Voice of Mental Health Award is a reminder of hope, showcasing the transformative power of youth innovation in addressing mental health challenges.

Q: Tell me more about what inspired your work on In Touch and Get In Touch. 

A: In its previous 119 years of existence, my former high school provided no mental health resources or awareness. Miami High is located in a predominantly low-income, Hispanic community, with most students being first-generation children of immigrants—including myself. Although I was surrounded by highly intelligent and academically-inclined students, the environment was stressful, demanding, and tiring. My friends and I struggled a lot with academic burnout and stress, but my high school didn’t even have a school psychologist. This encouraged me to take action and establish In Touch, the first mental health awareness nonprofit at Miami High. 

What began as a small nonprofit organization with some friends in the summer of 2021 evolved into a 400-member community by the end of my senior year. Today, In Touch continues its legacy with a new dedicated executive board and faculty committed to fostering emotionally competent leaders.

My Get In Touch blog is a new initiative I created to further advocate for mental health, particularly in historically marginalized communities. This initiative combines my passion for storytelling and mental health advocacy, enabling me to offer a platform for individuals to share their voices and lived experiences. As a psychology major, I also write about the complexities of mental health. It’s uplifting and empowering when previous writers have told me how grateful and happy they are to have a platform to share their voices. I hope to continue expanding this initiative in the future and continue to showcase the rich tapestry of perspectives and experiences that exist in our society.

Q: You said that writing is your first love. How do you use writing as a tool for mental health advocacy, and as a way to support your own mental health? 

A: As a child living without both of my parents in Nicaragua and experiencing ostracism due to my sexuality, I felt isolated most of the time. However, I always had my pen and diary, filled with dreams and stories from days when I felt sad, happy, or confused. For me, writing (in both English and Spanish) flows naturally and serves as an outlet for boundless creativity.

One of my all-time favorite writers is Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz, a Mexican writer who defied societal norms and advocated for women’s right to education through her craft, providing me with a constant source of inspiration. In my role as Editor-in-Chief of the Get In Touch blog, I similarly harness the power of writing to advocate for mental health awareness in underrepresented communities and educate readers on crucial issues. Through thought-provoking pieces, ranging from analyzing the portrayal of mental health on “WandaVision” to composing evocative mental health poetry, I have honed my own voice and effectively utilized it to address pressing issues that I am passionate about.

Q: You mention that your work with In Touch allowed you to bring to light conversations that have long been ignored in your community. Why is it important to talk about these issues openly with students? 

A: I always say that Taylor Swift is my English professor. As someone who moved to Miami in 2018, I struggled immensely to adapt to the American high school curriculum while also learning English—as did a lot of my friends. At school, no one talked about the excruciating process of being a first-generation student or a non-native English speaker. At school, no one talked about suicide or even the long-term repercussions of trauma. At school, I felt alone. I thought I was the only one struggling with stress, language barriers, and the insane pressure high schoolers face.

It wasn’t until In Touch started to give students a platform to share their stories that I realized I was not alone. These open and candid mental health conversations, led by students and school faculty, illustrate the potential of normalizing mental health discussions, helping students feel understood, supported, and self-aware. I will never forget when Ms. Cid, Miami High’s chorus teacher, openly talked about her experience with PTSD. She empowered fellow faculty members to share their mental health journeys through In Touch, while also giving students hope and reassurance. I can certainly say that her meeting was the most remarkable and memorable In Touch has ever hosted. And the fact that a teacher was able to openly talk about PTSD and grief proved to me the healing elements of these conversations.

Students aren’t voiceless, we just need the platform to share them!

Q: You’re currently working on an independent research project on body dissatisfaction and its impact on mental health. What do you hope to learn and share by studying this issue more in-depth?  

A: I’ve always wondered why women in my family glamorize the idea of a “perfect body,” whereas men don’t show interest in their bodies. My aunts in Nicaragua would always complain about their bodies while my uncles sat silently watching fútbol. I think it’s very interesting and crucial to incorporate more research like this into academia, and especially further investigate the gaps in the literature, such as mental imagery across genders, perception of emotional intelligence cross-culturally, and the long-term impacts on mental health disorders that body dissatisfaction leads individuals to.  

My current research project serves as the foundation for my future dissertation in pursuit of a PhD in clinical psychology. It also seeks to uncover the consequences of an issue that both my friends and I have personally experienced. I’m particularly interested in exploring whether emotional intelligence training, specifically within a Hispanic sample population, can influence body satisfaction levels and mental health.

Q: How do you plan to continue your advocacy work after college?

A: It’s hard to believe that four years ago I was studying by candlelight, fearing for my life in Nicaragua, and now I have the opportunity to study with some of the brightest minds in the world. I know I’m privileged to be here, and there are a lot of barriers that hinder the growth of students, both in individualistic and collectivistic cultures. I wholeheartedly believe we need to keep advocating for youth. We’re still struggling to have a seat in the room where mental health policies—policies that directly relate to our struggles and lived experiences—are discussed and made.

After college, I hope to continue conducting more research on mental health in youth, further engage in mental health policy for K-12 and higher education, and bring accessible Spanish-translated mental health resources to schools in Nicaragua. We are lucky to have organizations like The Jed Foundation in the United States.

The post Student Voice of Mental Health Award Winner Jose Caballero on Giving Young Adults a Platform to Share Their Stories appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

On Thursday, November 3, 2022 over 150 guests gathered under the stars at The Ray Hotel’s Rosewater Rooftop in Delray Beach for The Jed Foundation’s Florida Gala. Now in its third year, this premiere event serves to raise awareness, funds, and spirits statewide. 

One in every three teens and young adults experienced mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems in the past year, and suicide was the second-leading cause of death for ages 10-34 in 2021. In Florida, 15% of young people experienced a major depressive episode recently, while 81% of local communities do not have an adequate number of mental health professionals. 

At JED’s Florida Gala, guests gathered to take part in powerful conversations about how these urgent issues can be addressed and contributed to more than $275,000 being raised. These donations will help protect teens and young adults throughout Florida. JED currently partners with nine schools throughout the state and will continue to grow the number of schools we partner with in Florida.  

The night was co-hosted by JED CEO, John MacPhee, and Sports Illustrated Swim Search model, content creator, and health advocate, Gigi Robinson. A discussion on youth mental health featured local students and advocates, and the evening concluded with insights on JED’s current and continued work in the state and nationwide.

“The Jed Foundation is focused on helping millions of students with their emotional well-being across the country,” said Robinson. “I am honored to partner with such an incredible organization that works hard every day to ensure that teens and young adults get the mental health resources they need to keep going.”

 “We are grateful to our Florida friends and advocates who not only work with JED to strengthen youth mental health and suicide prevention programs, but also to create communities of care across local high schools and colleges,” said MacPhee. “By stepping up every day to provide teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge they need to help themselves and others, we are creating a mental health safety net to save the lives of students across America.”

The event was sponsored by The Ray Hotel, Kendra Scott Jewelry, SurGenTech, Nick Malinosky, Candice Friis/Corcoran, Bernstein, Cloud10, Delray Dermatology, One Door North, Roly’s Trucking, Vignobles Sullivan Wine, Nicholson Muir Meats, Robinson Family Foundation, Ray Fennelly and Wendy Nemerofsky, Paley Institute, Charlie fund, Pechter Family Foundation, Morgan Stanly and Grandic Family.

The post The Ray Hotel Hosts JED’s Third Annual Florida Gala to Support Local Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiatives appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

Park County teens gathered at Montana’s Mountain Sky Guest Ranch recently to help mental health experts, advocates, educators, and the community learn more about youth mental health and suicide prevention. Montana’s suicide rate ranks in the top five over the past 30 years, so JED is working to support rural youth there with a first-of-its-kind event. 

Months after more than half a dozen student focus groups were held at Park County schools, key findings were presented at a youth summit by Kurt Michael, Senior Clinical Director at The Jed Foundation (JED), and Emily Kempe, a JED High School Advisor and a youth engagement coordinator for Park County. The two-day summit, held in late September, was organized by JED, LiveWell49, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the MT 988 Project. 

Students in grades 7 to 12 from Gardiner, Park High, Shields Valley, and Sleeping Giant Middle School, as well as home-schoolers, took part in interactive art experiences with Montana State University professors and the MT 988 Project, including the creation of self-care and mindfulness journals, suicide-prevention awareness stickers, and posters to promote Montana’s recently launched 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The teens in attendance also continued the discussion about what can be done to improve mental health services and reduce suicide by validating results of JED’s student focus groups, which occurred throughout Park County schools and a local mental health clinic in March. Students offered their perceptions of mental health in their schools and communities, which will help educators, parents, caring adults, and community members to better support them.

Among the main takeaways from the focus groups were:

1. Park County youth have an abundance of knowledge on mental health topics, including stress management, the need to balance health with academics, and the importance of suicide prevention.
2. Park County youth generally find the idea of seeking support for mental health issues to be acceptable.
3. Park County youth generated several creative solutions to some of the current barriers to mental health support in their community.

Additional feedback from the students included a desire for enhanced peer support and telehealth options due to Montana’s geographic remoteness and transit limitations.

In the U.S., suicides account for the majority of gun deaths. In Montana, 62% of suicides are from firearms. Suicide prevention is especially important in states like Montana, where 66.3% of adults own a gun — the highest percentage of any state. 

“Montana’s youth face unique challenges due to geographical and cultural factors. They have limited access to mental health resources, but increased access to lethal means like firearms,” Michael says. “We must prioritize and advocate for mental health support across these rural communities. Listening to these young people share their lived experiences at the youth summit so openly and vulnerably was exceptional to witness, and I have no doubt the future of young Montanans is in great hands.”

Kempe, who works with Montana’s first JED High School program, in the Gardner School District, says the survey results and student feedback are the first steps toward enhancing protection for youth mental health in Park County and across Montana. The focus group and summit reached about 8% of Park County youth.

“When we talk about suicide, it is important for people to understand it is a deeply entrenched issue in rural areas,” Kempe says. “While some of the statistics in Montana are sobering, there is an invested, supportive, and caring community here doing the work to prevent further suicides.”

The JED High School program provides high schools and districts with expert support, evidence-based best practices, and data-driven guidance to protect student mental health and prevent suicide. 

The post First-of-Its-Kind Montana Youth Mental Health Summit, Led by JED and Community Leaders, Reaches 8% of Youth in Park County appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

Twenty of the nation’s leading nonprofits—including the NAACP, GLAAD, and the Special Olympics—join JED in a commitment to the mission of the Choose Kindness Project. This year-long initiative, which is supported by ABC, ESPN, and the Walton Family Foundation, is dedicated to inspiring a more inclusive world where all young people feel empowered to be themselves and safe to create the futures they imagine. 

The Choose Kindness Project will champion three key areas of youth wellness: 

• bullying prevention
• intentional inclusion
• mental health

A Choose Kindness Project survey found that one-third of teenagers have experienced bullying in the past year; however, most parents say that they do not feel like they have the resources to guide their child through these issues. With this in mind, the Alliance will build out programs to fill these gaps and foster effective, meaningful bullying prevention strategies. 

To achieve its bold ambitions, strategies include:

• Supporting Communities Nationwide: ABC, ESPN, and the Walton Family Foundation are investing $1.5 million in grant funding to support the Alliance. These grants aim to help Alliance members share their programs with new audiences throughout the United States.
• Elevating Best-in-Class Resources: Caring adults, including parents/caregivers, educators, and community leaders, will be able to find vetted resources, inspiring stories, and research  on Instagram (@TheChooseKindnessProject), Twitter (@ChooseKindness), and Facebook (@TheChooseKindnessProject).
• Engaging Parents/Caregivers at Home: An interactive campaign launching in October will respond to the needs of caring adults who want to create a better world for their children. This campaign will help parents/caregivers guide their children toward kindness, which in turn helps in building a more inclusive world for all young people. 

JED is thrilled to play a founding role in the Choose Kindness Project. With support from ABC, ESPN, and the Walton Family Foundation, JED can advance its mission of youth mental wellness and suicide prevention on an even greater scale, while working with the Alliance to create a future that’s better and kinder for all young people.

The post The Jed Foundation is a Founding Member of the Choose Kindness Alliance appeared first on The Jed Foundation.

“The Jed Foundation is grateful to Kendra Scott for her unwavering generosity to JED’s mission. She is an inspiration to all generations on how to pursue your passion while giving back,” said Shepen. “As an organization that protects the emotional health of teens and young adults, having the support of someone like Scott is a reminder that our work is impactful. Like the title of her memoir, we want all young people to know that they, too, are born to shine.”

Support from Kendra Scott has been used to expand JED’s work with high schools to strengthen their policies, programs, and systems related to mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention.

For more information about how you can support JED, just like Kendra Scott, visit https://jedfoundation.org/support/ways-to-give/

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In 2020, a person died by suicide almost every 11 minutes in the United States (CDC)—and for 15- to 24-year-olds, suicide became the third-leading cause of death (SAVE). Additionally, more than 91,000 people died from substance misuse (CDC).

But now, access to care is only three numbers away.

Beginning July 16, 2022, the public can text or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This three-digit dialing code connects to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and is intended for anyone with mental health-related distress—such as suicidal ideation, substance misuse, or other kinds of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

988 provides an opportunity to improve the nation’s response to mental health crises by reducing law enforcement involvement, which can sometimes result in injury or death. According to The Washington Post’s “Fatal Force” data tracker, 14% of Americans killed by police officers in 2021 had been diagnosed with mental illness.

For this reason, it is critical for 988 to partner with community-based providers who can deliver a full range of crisis care services, such as mobile crisis teams or stabilization centers.

The Jed Foundation (JED) fully supports 988’s efforts on the national, state, and local levels to build a better crisis response system. The 24/7, free and confidential lifeline will deliver a long-term promise to support mental health in every community. 

988 will potentially help thousands of individuals, every day, overcome crisis circumstances. JED will continue to encourage local governments to prioritize the necessary funding and staffing to ensure the initiative’s long-term viability and success.

JED CEO John MacPhee recently spoke with ABC News about 988. In the nationwide interview, MacPhee called 988 a “tremendous opportunity for our country to improve mental health responses for people who are in crises.” 

Here are some additional resources to help you or a loved one navigate a mental health-related crisis:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a 988 Fact Sheet and FAQs. 
• Text or call 988 for access to trained crisis counselors across a network of 200+ locally operated and funded crisis centers around the country.
• Call 911 for a medical emergency and/or threat of immediate danger or harm, and read about tips for Calling 911 and Talking with Police from The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
• JED’s Mental Health Resource Center is also available to help protect mental health and support teens and young adults with resources like Signs Your Friend Might Be Struggling Emotionally, Warning Signs of Suicide and Taking Care of Ourselves When Helping Others.

The post JED Supports New 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline appeared first on The Jed Foundation.