Task Force: Mental Health Awareness Program

Congratulations!

As part of mental health awareness month, your school has decided to fund a student-led mental health awareness program. Your group is responsible for deciding what that program should look like. 

Why Are We Doing This?

Mental health awareness month is about combating stigma around mental illness, educating people, and increasing support. This is particularly important in schools because the percentage of students who say they are struggling with their mental health has increased during the pandemic and the need for accessible mental health support is more important than ever. 

Steps

1. First, conduct research on mental health issues, needs, and concerns of students in the US. 
   1. What are some of the biggest concerns? 
   2. What are some issues with current mental health support in schools? 
   3. What are students saying they need? 
2. Now, design your plan. 
   1. What would you want a student-led mental health awareness initiative to look like? 
   2. How would you use the funding allocated to your group? 
   3. How would your group incorporate the needs and ideas of students at your school? 
   4. What support do you need from teachers and administrators? What do you want them to know about the needs of students? 
   5. How would your program reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health support? 
3. Think through the possible objections to your plan and how you would respond. 
4. Share with the group and see if you can convince them that your plan will help address mental health awareness. 

Things to Keep in Mind:

• You do not have to come up with an exhaustive plan. It’s better to come up with a few ideas that you feel confident with and spend time thinking through possible objections to them. 
• You don’t have to worry about answering all possible objections, but you should have some defense of why you think your idea would work. 
• Your suggestions should be things that could realistically be implemented.