Jay Walkers

In 2024, This Is My Brave wants to create more opportunities for storytelling, both on stage and off, because we know that Storytelling Saves Lives. This Suicide Prevention Month, via the Jay Walkers Challenge, we will engage teams across the country to help raise awareness about suicide prevention.

This September, teams of Jay Walkers will:

Complete 800,000 steps each to honor every life lost world wide each year to suicide. Start conversations about suicide with friends, family, and co-workers. Jay Walkers will be encouraged to share their own stories and/or let others know it is safe to share theirs.

The campaign, Jay Walkers, gets its name from Jay Gallagher (son of This Is My Brave Executive Director, Erin Gallagher) who lost his life to suicide in 2016 at the age of 18. Jay had so much life to live and so much love to give, yet the stigma of suicide prevented him from asking for the help he knew he needed. By participating in Jay Walkers, teams will do their part to break down the stigma that stands in the way of people getting life-saving help.

Jay Walkers will help spread the message that talking openly about suicide is one of the most powerful ways to prevent it.

NAMI Ending the Silence
NAMI Ending the Silence is a presentation designed for middle and high school students, school staff, and parents or guardians of middle or high school aged youth. Audiences learn about the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, how to recognize the early warning signs and the importance of acknowledging those warning signs. It can be offered in-person by the affiliate or online when an in-person presentation is not available. The presentation materials can be found here. This is an excellent program to offer to teachers and administrators as an option for bringing a free mental health program into the schools.

• Offering a presentation to parents outside of school can also be a good way to get the parents to ask the school staff to bring the presentation into the school.
• Another way to connect with the schools is to partner with other organizations that are already working with the schools, so look for presentations, clubs, events, and other partnerships, and reach out to those organizations to get connected.

teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA)

A training program teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of a mental health or substance use challenge in their friends and peers. The training gives teens the skills to have supportive conversations with their friends and teaches them how to get help from a responsible and trusted adult. tMHFA was brought to the U.S. by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. Any school, youth-serving organization or organization in partnership with a school that wants to bring tMHFA training to teens at their site can apply to become a tMHFA Site. Learn more about how tMHFA can benefit young people in your community.

MHA Youth Mental Health Hub

“Adolescence and young adulthood are times of change, growth, and challenges. Whether you’re a teen trying to make sense of how you’re feeling, a young adult navigating the pressures of increased responsibility, a parent trying to find help for your child, or an educator aiming to bring mental health to the classroom, Mental Health America has information and resources to help you.”

MHA Youth Mental Health Leadership Opportunities

Mental Health America’s youth programs empower aspiring and established young advocates to ignite their communities and build a mentally healthy future for all.

MHA Back to School Toolkits
Mental Health America’s Back to School Toolkits from previous years are available now. Stay tuned for the 2024 Back to School Toolkit later this month.

Mental Health America’s Youth Leadership Development Initiatives identify, empower, and elevate the next generation of mental health leaders.

Young Leaders Council

The Young Leaders Council (YLC) is made up of young people (18-25) who have created programs and initiatives to fill gaps in mental health support and resources in their communities. Each year, 10 leaders are selected and participate in this six-month leadership development program where they build connections, receive mentoring, share their ideas, and expand their knowledge, skills, and network

Reports

MHA’s Youth Leadership reports document youth perspectives and recommendations to address mental health as well as provide inspiration and guidance to expand the work being led by young people across the U.S.

Youth Policy Accelerator

The Youth Policy Accelerator partners with young people to identify and create policy solutions that are most important to them. In this two-month intensive program, participants build confidence, explore their interest areas, gain policy knowledge, and develop skills like storytelling. They then co-create a campaign and resources to advance their collective priorities.

NAMI On CAMPUS
NAMI on Campus clubs are student-led, student-run mental health organizations on college and high school campuses.

NAMI on Campus clubs:

• Raise mental health awareness with fairs, walks, and candlelit vigils.
• Educate students, faculty, and families with NAMI presentations, guest speakers, and student panels.
• Advocate for improved mental health services and policies on campus.
• Support peers and families with signature NAMI programs and training from NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates.
• High School clubs can provide NAMI Ending the Silence to educate students, faculty, and families as well as share resources available through their NAMI. College clubs can provide NAMI In Our Own Voice, NAMI Connections, and many other programs that support their campus needs.

For more information contact your LOCAL NAMI.

NAMI College Guide
Did you know 75% of all mental health conditions begin by age 24? That’s why the college years are so critical for understanding and talking about mental health, and why NAMI partnered with the Jed Foundation to develop the Mental Health College Guide.

Going to college is a big step, and big steps come with excitement, the unknown, and, usually, a healthy amount of stress. That’s not only ok, but it’s to be expected. And it’s the reason this guide was designed by—and for—college students.

The guide covers topics from self-care to getting mental health care support, to legal rights and self-advocacy. Check it out here.

teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA)
tMHFA is a training program that teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of a mental health or substance use challenge in their friends and peers. The training gives teens the skills to have supportive conversations with their friends and teaches them how to get help from a responsible and trusted adult. tMHFA was brought to the U.S. by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. Any school, youth-serving organization or organization in partnership with a school that wants to bring tMHFA training to teens at their site can apply to become a tMHFA site. Learn more about how tMHFA can benefit young people in your community.

The Game That Goes There.
The hilarious party game where you find out everyone is really a scared, lonely, on-edge, chemical soup of emotions, pretending to be okay, just like you! Players have to guess which messed up thought was yours. And you get to learn about their dark, scary, totally normal thoughts too! Because we’re all in this wacky, F-ed up life thing together!

Crisis Text Line
If you or someone you love is in need of support, text the word STORY to 741-741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor for free, 24/7. Texter identity is kept confidential.

Mental Health School Supplies. Starting a new school year can be both exciting and stressful. We know that summer coming to an end can be difficult for some which can often lead to anxiety. Crisis Text Line is here to help you cope, which is why they have created this student toolkit that contains several resources and tips on how to manage your stress as you prepare for back to school.

Self-Care Student Planner. Get ready to prioritize your mental health and self-care this school year. You can reduce stress and anxiety with this planner, which is designed to support you in key areas of wellness and greatness.

How to Help Others – Quick Guide. Going back to school can be stressful for other people around us too. It’s important to remember to check on your friends and know what to do when offering support in their moments of need. Here’s a quick guide to help you assist others in navigating their moments of anxiety and stress.

Not Alone Challenge

#NotAloneChallenge is a mental health campaign to remind people they’re not alone while providing a free mental health toolkit. The challenge also helps to raise funds to provide mental health programming to those who need.

The Inspiring Children Foundation, in partnership with Co-Founder & CEO of MTV and iHeartMedia Bob Pittman, and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and mental health pioneer Jewel, joined forces with hundreds of thought leaders, CEOs, celebrities, artists, musicians, and mental health experts to create one of the largest and most wide-reaching mental health campaigns in history. The #NotAloneChallenge achieved 3.2 billion social media impressions and gathered a diverse group of thought leaders and ambassadors to advocate for mental health. See the full list here.

Much of this challenge was co-created and run by Jewel and the youth in her foundation. Much of their success is thanks to corporate partners such as iHeart, Meta, Chegg, Zappos, Carsaver, and Saks Fifth Avenue among others.

Robbie’s Hope
Adult Handbook: A Guide by Teens on How to Talk to Teens (Available in English and Spanish). The Teen Activists of Robbie’s Hope have poured their energy into writing this handbook. It reflects how they would like an adult to interact with them on this topic and in other difficult conversations. It provides a guide and some tools to start the conversation. Do not worry about your conversations being perfect, scripted, or smooth — we promise they won’t be. Simply take the first step and then keep trying over and over again.

Take a Mental Health Test with MHA
MHA’s signature screening platform has 11 different screenings for children and their parents.

Screenings are completely free and confidential and can be accessed 24/7. This is an incredible tool and can be easily featured in a variety of ways to offer communities a self-directed entry point to greater self-awareness and a variety of supports.

MHA 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Month Campaign
Each year, MHA develops public education campaigns aimed at mental health awareness to address a range of topics based on specific population needs. For example, July Is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Also Known As BIPOC Mental Health Month. The theme of Mental Health America’s 2023 BIPOC Mental Health campaign is Culture, Community, & Connection. Our lives are deeply intertwined with our environments, and these surroundings impact our mental health and overall wellness. Culture, community, and connection are pillars that support and uplift BIPOC individuals in the face of oppression and systemic racism. MHA developed this year’s campaign to honor and celebrate how BIPOC communities have thrived.

NAAPIMHA Student Resources
The mission of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) is to promote the mental health and well being of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. NAAPIMHA strives to raise awareness of the role of mental health in an individual’s health and well-being, especially in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities throughout the country.

NAAPIMHA has collected several Student Resources curated specifically for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander youth. From crisis resources to reports to positive social media accounts, check out their page for more information.

Friends DO Make a Difference Program (Denver, CO)

If you are an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander high school student in the Denver, CO area that is interested in mental health, community building, and leadership opportunities, then register now for NAAPIMHA’s Friends DO Make a Difference program for the 2023-2024 school year.