November 3, 2021
An important conversation
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School
The Gateway Region YMCA program ‘Starting the Conversation’ helps parents engage in conversations with their children about mental illness
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By Wendy Todd According to an annual report by Mental Health of America, “State of Mental Health in America,” 47.1 million people in the country are living with a mental health condition. That figure is up by 1.5 million since last year’s report. The Gateway Region YMCA has initiated a program to help ameliorate mental health challenges in the region, specifically in youth, who are reporting concerning thoughts of suicide and self-harm at high rates. Research shows that nearly half of all documented cases of chronic mental illness begin by age 14. The YMCA program, “Starting the Conversation” will help parents and caregivers via a series of events develop the necessary tools to effectively engage in conversations with their children about mental illness. They will also learn how to identify troubling behaviors and locate mental health resources. The program, started by an inno-
Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1 Submitted photos The YMCA program, “Starting the Conversation” will help parents and caregivers via a series of events develop the necessary tools to effectively engage in conversations with their children about mental illness.
vative group of volunteers, began six years ago. Julie Tang, co-founder of the initiative, proposed a partnership with the Y, a seemingly “perfect fit” in order to reach a wider community. “The Gateway Region YMCA has the capacity to scale up the program and eventually reach many more people than we ever could have on our own,” says Tang. “Their mission is aligned with ours in terms of wanting to have a positive impact on the wellness of all people in our region, includ-
ing children and families.” The Y understands the need for mental health resources and was happy to join forces with this group. “There is an average delay of 11 years between symptom onset and treatment,” Caroline Mitchell, executive director of YMCA community development explains. “We know that this lag in getting treatment causes unnecessary suffering not only for See ‘CONVERSATION’ page 2
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