Listen and connect with youth over mental health
The Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) invites families, schools and organizations across the state, to join in recognizing Children’s Mental Health Week, May 5-11.
“Recognizing that young people are the experts on youth mental health, we are releasing recommendations and insights provided by high school student leaders, who are committed to supporting mental wellness,” said Linda Hall, OCMH director.
The OCMH has assembled their recommendations into the following documents:
• Mental Health Coping Strategies of Wisconsin Youth and Coping Strategy Quotes highlight the creative ways teens are managing their feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness.
• Youth Advice to Other Youth extends the power of peer support, by elevating the reminders teens want to share with one another.
• What Youth Want Adults to Know offers a collection of messages from Wisconsin teens for parents, youth-serving professionals and decision-makers.
These new resources, compiled from submissions shared at the Mental Wellness Student Leadership Summit, hosted by OCMH in April, offer key ways for youth and adults to connect. These messages are important, because its known from research, that elevating youth voice is central to improving their well-being.
In addition to considering these youth messages, the OCMH is encouraging individuals and organizations throughout the state, to take action on children’s mental health.
Key facts on the status of youth mental health in Wisconsin, show many of the kids are struggling, as more than half report anxiety; nearly half of LGBTQ kids say they seriously considered suicide; one in four of girls seriously considered suicide; and more than a third report feeling sad and hopeless nearly every day.
“Talk to the kids you see in daily life,” said Hall. “Reach out and ask how they are doing. Listen to their answers. The simple act of inviting youth to talk about their lives and how they’re feeling, is one of the best ways of connecting with them.”
