Youth Mental Health Programs was identified by partners as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, that has a reasonable chance of making a difference in mental health in our community. These will be new programs in our community.

The priority population/customers for these programs are youth groups, and the programs aims to make a difference at the individual, organizational and community level. Implementation will take place in the community.

We believe that increasing the amount of Youth Mental Health Programs in our community will empower and support families and our community so they are better able to address the mental health needs of our youth. Example programs will be Youth Mental Health First Aid and others.

The partners for this strategy include:

• Polk County Mental Health Advisory Group - Lead

• Polk County Recreation Department - Lead

• Polk County Schools - Support

• WithAll - Support

• Polk County Health and Wellness Coalition - Support

• Polk County Health and Human Services Agency - Collaborative

We have been working with local mental health professionals and community organizations to develop a comprehensive programs focused on supporting the mental well-being of young people in our community. These programs will aim to equip community members with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and respond to mental health concerns in young people as well as provide our youth with tools that promote their well-being. In 2022, we were able to: 

• Host 4 mental health training events geared towards youth
• Host 1 resource fair providing mental health resources to the community

In 2023, significant progress was made in the initiative aimed at supporting the mental well-being of young people in the community. Building upon the groundwork laid in 2022, the initiative expanded its efforts through an array of training sessions and workshops focused on mental health awareness and support. These included sessions covering a wide range of topics such as anxiety management, communication skills, complementary treatments for mental health enrichment, substance use awareness, and understanding various mental health disorders. Attendees benefitted from diverse perspectives and strategies aimed at promoting mental wellness and addressing mental health challenges.

The 24 training events, provided by Vaya Learning and Development, showcased a commitment to equipping community members with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, understand, and respond to mental health concerns among young people. Additionally, an impactful mental health training event featuring Tony Hoffman was hosted at Polk County High School, organized by Polk HHSA, with over 250 attendees. This event further underscored the community's dedication to fostering mental health awareness and support, reaching a broad audience with valuable insights and resources. Together, these efforts exemplified a collaborative approach to promoting mental wellness and creating a supportive environment for youth and the community as a whole.