~ A message from Linda Rosenberg, President & CEO, National Council for Behavioral Health ~

Passionate people and organizations around the country are helping healthy children grow up in healthy communities – free of depression, anxiety and suicide. And the National Council has a way to take these leading-edge practices to scale.

I’m pleased to announce a groundbreaking two-year learning opportunity aimed at increasing youth engagement in quality, appropriate mental health supports and quality treatments, and I invite you to become connected. With the goal of reducing the rates and impact of depression, anxiety and suicide among young people ages 10 to 24 in underserved communities, this initiative aims to:

• Connect young people to new types of mental health supports and research-based treatments,
• Connect youth to one another as project leaders and advisors,
• Connect communities with these new approaches, and
• Connect applicants to funding (up to $100,000 per site) to support these efforts.

Do you have an innovative approach that will facilitate community partnerships, increase awareness, decrease loneliness or offer a clinical or social intervention aimed at underserved youth?

Do you know youth ages 16 to 24 who can help implement your project?

Would you like to be paired with a mentor, coaches and subject matter experts who can help you engage and empower youth and their families?

Is your organization motivated to improve health outcomes for young people from diverse communities? If so, apply today. You need not be a mental health agency or National Council member to participate.

Visit our webpage for more information and plan to participate in virtual office hours, 1 to 2 p.m. ET Thursdays beginning September 6.

Young people are the future, and, with your participation, the future starts today.