Young Minds Matter...
Young Minds Matter, a program of The Health Collaborative, recognizes that empowering and collaborating with youth is essential to improving our mental health care system, changing the conversation and reducing stigma, with as much as 70 per cent of young adults living with mental health problems or illnesses reporting that symptoms started in childhood.
In response to recommendations found in the 2016 Bexar County Community Health Assessment report, the Health Collaborative’s former Youth Mental Health Council set out to provide the opportunity for meaningful child and youth engagement by creating the Youth Health Advisory Council. Young Minds Matter seeks to provide opportunities for youth with personal experiences of mental health, emotional health and illnesses to inform our work.
Growing Up Isn’t Easy…
At a time when children are forming life-long values, attitudes, and mental health, they may need help beyond the resources of the family and classroom. Children live in a society where values are constantly changing and they often encounter additional stresses – divorce, social pressures, death in the family, economic difficulties, and other factors beyond their control. Children thrive when they are surrounded by love, safety, resources, and a supportive community.
Community Resources Can Help
Bexar County offers mental health support through social service agencies, health systems, counseling centers, school systems and a variety of non-profit organizations offering services for families, adolescents and children.
Community Health Bridge
Mental Health Consortium
1in5Minds
Pathways to Hope
Bexar C.A.R.E.S.
Alamo Area Teen Suicide Prevention Coalition
Volunteers Needed
We are accepting application for volunteers to help with outreach and community events. A volunteer application and liability waiver is required. All volunteers will need to pass a background check before approval can be given to volunteer.
Please call Fuji Walker at
210-481-2573 for more information.
Upcoming Events
5th Annual: A Beautiful Mind
Thank you to Raw Youth, Mercy Church for co-hosting this free virtual community event.
Join us on Facebook Live
May 30 2:00 pm
The event will feature a video of interviews with local youth about how they are dealing with issues of isolation, stress, anxiety and other pressures during COVID. Youth will talk about how they are coping and how they are supporting each other. More importantly, this video will offer a message of hope and how to connect with mental health resources.
The video has been created by youth for youth and is led by Nick and Schelsea Nieto.
Join us after the video for a live interview with the youth that created this message and hear about their efforts to reduce stigma around mental health in our community.
This event is hosted in partnership with Young Minds Matter, Mercy Church, Raw Youth and Methodist Healthcare Ministries or South Texas.
FREE and open to the Community
News
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day shines a national spotlight on the importance of caring for every child’s mental health and reinforces that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development.
Youth Council
The Youth Health Advisory Council is made up of youth between the ages of 13 and 24 who have lived experience with mental health or emotional wellness, either personally or through a family member or friend.
The Youth Health Advisory Council’s main goals are to:
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advocate on behalf of young people with mental wellness issues
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engage other local and national youth mental health networks
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participate in projects arising from YMM initiatives
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represent the youth voice at YMM events
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participate in public events to promote recovery and inspire other youth
The Youth Health Advisory Council aims to increase youth participation in decisions related to mental health service delivery and policy making and increase the impact of youth involvement in system change. In addition, the Youth Health Advisory Council aims to reduce stigma, change the conversation about mental health and open communication about issues that matters to youth.
Members have been asked to participate in various Young Minds Matter projects in order to provide youth perspectives, including the Young Minds Matter anti-stigma media campaign "No Shame in My Game", "A Beautiful Mind Youth & Art Community Event" and World Mental Health Awareness Day "Youth Against Stigma Rally".
In 2017, the Youth Health Advisory Council will create video stories about their encounters with mental health stigma. The video’s messaging, location scouting, and shooting will be driven by the Youth Health Advisory Council members.
The Youth Council is involved in numerous projects in 2017, including helping to mark national Child and Youth Mental Health Day and assisting with a revision of the Community Health Improvement Plan targeted to youth engagement set for release in fall 2017. The goal of this project is to advance system change recommendations as defined by young people across Bexar County.
To find out more about the Youth Health Advisory Council, email Fuji Walker, fuji.walker@healthcollaborative.net.