YOUTH WELLNESS INITIATIVE
Youth today face a growing set of behavioral health challenges.
Addressing these challenges requires early intervention, expanded access to services, and efforts to reduce stigma and build resilience
Now is the time for Nebraska to demonstrate their commitment to addressing youth mental health.
According to a Nebraska Department of Education and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services report, in 2023 more than a quarter of Nebraska high school students said they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in the past year. At the same time, youth nationwide are spending more time on phones and social media than ever before, leading to increased anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and negative self-image.
1 in 5
Nebraska children report experiencing a mental health condition each year
24%
Increase in mental health-related ER visits among 5- to 11-year-olds
One-third
of NE counties lack a behavioral health provider
Our Work
Bridges to Mental Health
FOR EDUCATORS
Bridges to Mental Health for Educators will train K-12 administrators, faculty, and staff to heighten their awareness of common behavioral disorders and how they manifest in students and to strengthen their confidence in identifying these conditions to engage appropriate supports.
This program for educators builds off of the proven success of the same program for healthcare providers that has uptrained more than 750 providers across Nebraska and Western Iowa over the past two years. In doing so, it recognizes the critical and unique role the school community plays in helping mitigate the gap in access to behavioral health care for youth.
The Connection Project
The Connection Project uses youth-driven storytelling to open meaningful conversations about digital life, its emotional consequences, and what it means to find balance in an always-connected world. By centering student voices, the project creates relatable, relevant entry points for exploring mental health, the value of stepping back, and reconnecting for youth today.
