Were you "aware?" - Mental Health problems affect 1 in every 5 young people at any given time!
- Teens diagnosed with depression are 5 times more likely to attempt suicide than adults!
- Stigma is one of the largest barriers that precents young people from seeking the help they need!
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people nationally!
- It is estimated that 2.5 million Americans have bipolar disorder!
- Recent studies show that, at any given time, as many as 1 in every 33 children may have clinical depression. The rate of depression among adolescents may be as high as 1 in 8!
- The fastest growing age group for suicide is 10-14 years old!
- 3 females attempt suicide for each male attempt, however, males are 4 times as likely to die from their attempts!
- SAT scores in both math and verbal were higher for high school music students. In 2001, students with coursework/experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the math section and 41 points higher on the verbal section compared to students who were not involved in music areas!
- 4 out of every 5 young people that contemplate or attempt suicide exhibit clear warning signs!
- 66% of young people with a substance abuse disorder have a co-ocurring mentla health problem!
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AWARENESS + RECOGNITION Music is Art opens the program by having a national recording artist present a motivational "concert" assembly during a school day. In this segment the idea of awareness amongst peers is initially proposed. The band addresses the needs of students by reinforcing the idea of self-motivation and the awareness of peer mental health by using the music side of the creative arts. Band members also spend time with students either in a classroom setting or individually while eating luch in the cafeteria. This factor presents a youthful, positive look at mental health awareness, as well as, a "cool" quality for the students encouraging them to become involved. EDUCATION The motivational "concert" is followed by an in-class tutorial where the Tell-It Curriculum is presented to students over a two or three-day period. Here students are taught to recognize the signs & symptoms of mental health problems, how to deal with emotional distress, how to determine when professional help is needed , and how to access reputable source for mental health information and services. Myths concerning mental health disorders are discussed with an emphasis on decreasing the stigma that surrounds these disorders which preven people from seeking help. For those schools wanting to take additional steps in identifying teens "at risk," Tell-It ofers an evidence-based component call SOS (Signs of Suicide) that includes a lesson and screening tool on suicide prevention. PERSONAL ASSISTANCE + SUPPORT In this chapter of the program, Crisis Services (CS) offers a variety of follow-up support for students. A 24-hour confidential Kid's Helpline is available offering peer helpers and counselors responding to individual issues. The helpline is available to adolescents, as well as, parents and educators, who are seeking additional advice for themselves or for others. There are also guides on how to help spot a child that may be at risk for mental health issues. A one-of-a-kind online chat room monitored by trained counselors is accessible between 4 pm and 4 am providing an enticing service that today's computer savvy teens are likely to use when seeking help. For more information about bringing this program to your school, please contact Jessica Zwieg, Project Coordinator for the Coalition for Teen Mental Health Awareness at (716) 886-1242 ext. 340
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