May is National Mental Health Awareness Month

  • By Vanessa Merhib
  • 25 May, 2017

May is National Mental Health Month and at the Boys & Girls Club training our staff, working with our kids and partnering with our community partners to ensure we are well-educated and well positioned to successfully work with our members regarding mental health is a high priority for us.

Mental health conditions are common among teens and young adults. 1 in 5 live with a mental health condition—half develop the condition by age 14 and three quarters by age 24. It is important for our staff team to be prepared to recognize, support, guide them to resources and to be a sustainable and accessible resource for the journey they may take.   In addition, the Club works closely with our local mental health agencies, like Lewis & Clark and East Central Mental Health, as well as, local NAMI and other resources in our communities to give our youth and staff access and support by experts. These partnerships have been essential to the Clubs success when working with youth and families with mental health challenges.

Some of the areas and topics we focus on with our members and staff are:

·        Taking charge of a mental health condition

·        How to help a friend

·        How to recognize if something is wrong

·        Managing a mental health condition in middle &high school and into the transition into college

·        Friendship and mental health


Looking to learn more? Check out this great article. https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/mental-health/index.html


Vanessa

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB 
serving Brookings, Moody County & Yankton
1126 Southland Lane
Brookings, SD 57006  
(605) 692-3333
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