HSE 7

2-2 Final Project Milestone One 4

T’Erica Huff

2-2 Final Project Milestone One: Draft of Introduction

Southern New Hampshire University

It is very obvious for youths and children to develop different forms of emotional distress when they are growing and maturing. For instance, it is normal for children develop nervousness about education or school or youths to experience intermittent depression periods which are naturally transient (Panter‐Brick, Catherine, et al. 523-541). In case these symptoms are persistent, then there is need to come up with interventions or programs that will help them overcome their distress. Even when majority of the youths look healthy, emotionally and physically, nearly one out of four or five adolescents experience lifetime mental disorder, which can make them become subjects of discrimination or developing undesirable attitudes. Just like physical health, mental health does not refer to mental disorder or absence of a disease. It involves the emotional well-being, social-well-being, psychological well-being. It entails a youth’s ability to engage and establish in fulfilling relationships, adapting to change, being able to realize their abilities, see that all their needs are catered for, and being able to successfully navigate in life’s complexities, while developing important skills that will help them cope and navigate in various scopes of life.

The Mental Health Program as a non-profit organization for college students who might be experiencing mental health problems. Its aim is to train and equip both the adults and youths with skills that they can employ to fight and overcome this condition (DeWit, David J., et al. 647-656). The program realizes that most students and youths are victims of mental health conditions that result from different risk factors such fear of failing exams, being bullied, being mistreated at home and in school, lack of successful inter-persona relationships, among others. The program takes hesitation and fear out of initiating a conversation concerning the problem and abuse of substance through comprehending and offering an action plan, which trains individuals on how to respond safely, effectively and responsibly to mental health problems among youths.

The Mental Health program for youths is a school-based program that covers teenagers between the ages of 13-18 and aims at improving and helping youths to cope with different mental issues affecting them in school and back at home. The program identifies that the absence of different risk and protective factors are major contributors to youth’s mental health condition and there is need to implement measures that will help support positive mental health, while minimizing or preventing issues that come with mental health conditions (Wasserman, Camilla, et al. 2018). It identifies that youths who have mental health issues are likely to have problems back at home, in the community, in school, and when engaging in interpersonal interactions.

Some of the measures taken by the program in an effort to combat mental health problems among youths include:

1. Informing adults concerning the general mental health issues among teenagers.

2. Helps to reduce stigma among youths.

3. Trains adults on how to identify symptoms and signs of mental health and the use of substances and their effects on them.

4. Helps youths to self-examine themselves and learn how to overcome mental health problems such as distress and anxiety.

5. Offers a channel through which youths can speak their mind and share their problems amongst themselves or with an adult either a teacher or a parent.

6. It also promotes social interactions and activities that will help youths not to engage in negative behaviors such as drugs abuse.

7. Adults are also equipped with skills that they can apply and assist youths facing or experiencing mental health challenges, like suicide (Dunne, T., Bishop, L., Avery, S., & Darcy, S. 587-512).

The program has successfully helped numerous youths in the community. Its efforts and impacts are felt by all people. Students have also benefited greatly since they are able to communicate and solve their mental health problems.

REFERENCE:

DeWit, David J., et al. "The role of program-supported mentoring relationships in promoting youth mental health, behavioral and developmental outcomes." Prevention Science 17.5 (2016): 646-657.

Dunne, T., Bishop, L., Avery, S., & Darcy, S. (2017). A review of effective youth engagement strategies for mental health and substance use interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(5), 487-512.

Panter‐Brick, Catherine, et al. "Insecurity, distress and mental health: experimental and randomized controlled trials of a psychosocial intervention for youth affected by the Syrian crisis." Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 59.5 (2018): 523-541.

Wasserman, Camilla, et al. "Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience." PloS one 13.2 (2018): e0191843.