In response to the youth mental health crisis, Michigan is joining forces with ten other states and private industries to recruit, train, and deploy the nation’s first Youth Mental Health Corps to help young people access resources.
Background:
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- Michigan has a high rate of mental illness among youth, ranking 35th in the nation.
- There are nearly 40,000 children diagnosed with mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety who are not receiving the necessary treatment.
- Nationwide, one in three high school students report persistent feelings of hopelessness.
- Approximately, 122 million people live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area.
Youth Mental Health Corps:
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- The Corps will engage 125 AmeriCorps members as Youth Mental Health Corps Fellows over the course of two years.
- It will be a public-private collaboration, with partners including America’s Service Commission, America Forward, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
- It will address the growing needs of young people while creating career pathways to address the national shortage of mental health professionals.
- Corps members will be trained as navigators serving middle and high school students in schools and community-based organizations.
For more information, please visit www.youthmentalhealthcorps.org.
