As thousands of teens return to school today, Wake County and the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council are reminding students and parents about the importance of looking after their mental health and seeking help when needed.
“To start the new school year off strong, you need to not only have all the supplies and schedules you need, but you also need the tools to stay mentally healthy,” said Wake County Commission Chair Sinica Thomas. “Asking for help when you need it is one of the most important things you can do for yourself or a loved one. As students return to school, these resources and messages will be here to support you every step of the way.”
Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council PSA
Local teens from the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council came together earlier this year to create a series of PSAs about teen mental health. Their hope is that these videos will give their peers the courage to seek help when they need it and counter the findings of a recent study from the National Mental Health Coalition, which found:
64% of teens believe the world is more stressful today than it was when their parents were their age. One in four has been diagnosed with a mental illness. Two in three agree that schools should teach students what mental illness is, including where and how to get treatment.
The PSA is available in English and Spanish.
“I participated in these PSAs to learn how to share resources with my friends,” said Aaron, a member of the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council. “I learned how to recognize the signs of mental health issues so I can start conversations with my friends about keeping themselves safe.”
These videos were produced by SeeBoundless in partnership with NC Cooperative Extension, Southeast Raleigh Promise, and El Centro Hispano, Inc.
Wake County is looking for teens to join the Youth Health Council for the upcoming school year. This volunteer leadership group provides an opportunity for youth to provide input to the Wake County Public Health Department. For more information, visit the council's webpage.
You can view the PSA-produced B-roll here.
Behavioral Health Resources
As students of all ages return to school, a variety of behavioral and mental health resources will be made available to students through numerous organizations in Wake County.
If you're in crisis and need immediate help:
Call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) Call the Alliance Health Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 877-223-4617 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
The following resources are available in the community:
Youth and Families: Youthline is a nationwide peer-to-peer youth crisis and support service aimed at preventing teen substance abuse and suicide. Teen volunteers and young people are available to answer all calls, texts and chats every day from 7pm to 1am. Phone: 877-968-8491 Text: Text “teen2teen” to 839863 Chat: Online at youthline.org Hope Center for Youth and Families Crisis and Mobile Outreach Response Engagement Services (MORES)
Lucy Daniels Center, 400 W. Ransom St., Fuquay-Varina, 877-888-7849
Haven House, 9003 Weston Parkway, Cary, 919-677-1400
1008 Bullard Court, Raleigh, 919-833-3312 All ages: Monarch Behavioral Health Urgent Care
319 Chapanoke Road, Suite 120, Raleigh, 866-272-7826 Therapeutic Alternatives Mobile Crisis Services
877-626-1772 (24/7) Wake Recovery Response Center, Wake Brook
107 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh, 919-975-5396
If your life is in danger, call 911 immediately. If you call 911 for a mental health, substance use or special needs emergency, you can request a paramedic with crisis intervention training. CIT-trained paramedics understand the unique needs and sensitivities of behavioral health emergencies.
For more information about services offered in Wake County, visit wake.gov/BehavioralHealth
