Programs

Public Education Initiatives

Empowered Minds

Shockingly, 4 out of 5 of adolescents who need mental health services do not receive them. This often results in poor school performance or significant dropout rates and can lead to concurrent high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse. According to a 2007 CDC report, a staggering 17% of U.S. high school students seriously considered suicide and 8.4% had attempted suicide at least once during the prior year.

Serious mental disorders are often mistaken for “typical” adolescent behavior.Additionally, candid dialogue about mental health issues are avoided yet essential. The most effective and efficient way to manage issues before they spiral out of control is to first dispel the myths surrounding mental disorders and then foster open dialogue among students, families and faculty.

To this end, Minding Your Mind (MYM) has create Empowered Minds, a program offered free of charge to middle and high schools in the Greater Philadelphia area. Empowered Minds reaches out to students, faculty and parents to reduce the stigma of mental health issues and increase prevention, early identification and intervention. This initiative is essential for students who are unable to reach their full academic potential due to a mental health issue. This program features dynamic young adult who have dealt with these issues and encourage others to recognize and seek help for their emotional difficulties. During the program, a trained speaker delivers a presentation at the school for students, parents and faculty. MYM staff works with local mental health providers and outreach agencies to ensure that the school-based presentations are adequately supported by mental health professionals and from provider agencies such as Northwestern Human Services (NHS).

All attending students, parents and teachers receive specific information on where to seek additional information, resources and referrals. They are also educated on how to address mental health issues with one another. A list of additional mental health education programs are made available after the program.

 

Annual Mental Health Forum

Since 2006, Minding Your Mind (MYM) has sponsored a free forum every May in recognition of Mental Health Month. Over the past three years, MYM’s forum has become the largest publicly attended mental health forum in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Our forums continue to attract close to 1,000 attendees. Increased funding will assist MYM’s efforts to build attendance, particularly among our community’s most vulnerable populations, and increase the information and services available throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. Our forums help diminish the stigma of mental health disorders while increasing public awareness of the impact of mental health issues on individuals, families, and society-at-large.

Forum attendees gain:

• the knowledge that mental health disorders are both manageable and treatable;
• an understanding of dual diagnosis and the multiple social systems affected by untreated or under-treated mental health issues;
• an opportunity to interact with speakers during a Q&A period;
• specific information on local mental health resources in order to promote prevention, early identification and help-seeking behavior.

Funding of Research on Early Identification and Prevention

The World Health Organization has reported that 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the United States and other developed countries are mental health issues. By 2020, major depression will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children.

Preventing the progression of depression and other chronic mental health disorders is one of the top priorities for Minding Your Mind (MYM). To this end, MYM is currently funding research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Center for Neurobiology and Behavior. The Center has already identified evidence of specific DNA variants that increase the risk of developing Bipolar and other chronic mental health disorders. Additional research will potentially enable medical professionals to identify people at risk for developing chronic mental health disorders prior to exhibiting symptoms.