Houston, TX. – Mental Health is fast becoming one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, especially for young people. The city of Houston is taking a unique approach to make sure young people have support and resources when they need help.
Houston city leaders are on a mission to destigmatize mental illness and normalize mental health care for young people. Who better to ask for help than a group of local teenagers who can speak from experience.
In a world where the challenges young people face are more complex than ever, a group of young mental health champions are providing a platform for them to share their voice in a unique way. “Youth knows what’s best for them. What their needs are,” Nicole Kwan said.
Kwan is among the group of young people tapped to work with the Mayor’s Office of Education and it’s mental health community partners to create a first of it’s kind mental health resource guide to address their challenges in a way that speaks their language. “We just want to provide directions on how to better take care of yourself,” Kwan said.
But barriers like shame, stigma and a lack of knowledge about mental health issues often stop young people from getting the help they need. As a teenager who immigrated to the U.S., Kwan dealt with her own mental health struggles. “I was pretty clueless navigating the mental health system,” Kwan said.
This free, comprehensive guide designed by young people for their peers covers a wide range of topics from reducing the stigma and finding support to identifying an emergency and seeking help when needed. There’s even a directory of mental health resources. “The youth voice is incorporated in every word, in every sentence, in every graphic , in every visual of this guide,” said Olivera Jankovska, Director of Education for the city of Houston.
Mental health advocates say it’s a real game changer because it not only provides practical advice but also promotes a sense of community and support among young people. “Working with them, understanding and listening to their questions and hearing their concerns and hearing what they think they know really helps to understand what we need to teach. They don’t want sugar coated information, ” said Dr. Jamie Freeny, Mental Health America of Greater Houston.
Of the 750,00 children and adolescents in Harris County between 6 and 18 years old, nearly 150,000 have a mental illness. Of those, close to 90,000 have a serious emotional disturbance which includes anxiety and depression. “We tend to focus on looking at the data, crafting policy, issuing funding, developing programs without youth being present at the table. That has changed,” Jankovska said.
Kwan believes the guide is a shining example of a positive change brought by young minds, determined to make a difference. “By sharing their voice, we can empower them to have a sense of responsibility and honestly, just bring fresh perspective into the mental health field,” Kwan said.
To access the city of Houston’s new free mental health resource guide for young people, click here.