Youth Mental Health Program

The Youth Mental Health Program is a culturally responsive program designed to help young people better understand themselves, their emotions, their experiences, and the factors that influence their mental and emotional well-being. this program is sponsored and funded by Missouri Foundation for Health.

The program begins with self-discovery and self-awareness, encouraging youth to explore the important question, “Who am I?” Participants are challenged to recognize their strengths, identify areas for personal growth, and understand how self-awareness can contribute to healthier choices and positive development.

A major focus of the program is helping youth understand their emotional selves. Participants learn how emotions influence thoughts, behaviors, communication, and decision-making. Rather than teaching youth to ignore their feelings, the curriculum helps them recognize, process, and appropriately respond to emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration, fear, disappointment, and joy.

The curriculum also addresses self-esteem, self-worth, positive self-talk, and the “Inner Critic.” Youth learn to recognize negative messages they may have internalized about themselves and practice separating a poor decision or behavior from their identity and worth as a person. The program encourages positive self-talk and healthier ways of responding to self-doubt and criticism.

Another important component is understanding trauma and its impact on mental health. Youth are introduced to concepts involving emotional and psychological trauma and how difficult experiences can influence thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and a person's sense of safety and trust.

The program also explores how experiences within families, neighborhoods, relationships, and communities can shape the way young people see themselves and the world around them. This includes discussions about generational experiences and how beliefs, behaviors, customs, and ways of coping can be passed from one generation to another.

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