American Youth Address Mental Health through National Service
May 16 2024 - 2:42PM
The US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for a swift and
comprehensive response to the youth mental health crisis. One in
three high school students, and half of female students, have
reported persistent feelings of hopelessness, with 122 million
Americans living in communities that lack adequate mental health
services.
The nation’s current mental health crisis was exacerbated
because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedented social isolation,
job loss, widespread sickness, persistent food instability, and
unfathomable grief all played a significant role in increasing
mental health needs. For youth, disruptions in routines and
relationships led to increased social isolation, anxiety, and
learning loss, which further accentuates the mental health crisis
among young adults.
On May 16, 2024, AmeriCorps joins the nation to recognize Mental
Health Action Day, a nationwide effort to drive society from mental
health awareness to mental health action. On this day, AmeriCorps
aims to motivate Americans to prioritize mental health as much as
their physical health, encourage the public to discuss mental
health more openly, and announce AmeriCorps’ action – the launch of
Youth Mental Health Corps.
Transforming Awareness to Action
For the past 30 years, AmeriCorps has been committed to
eliminating barriers and prioritizing improving mental health
support for children and young people across the country. Since the
COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps programs have leveraged national
service to help schools safely reopen and address students’ mental
health needs, using evidence-based interventions that respond to
students’ social, emotional, and academic needs—such as the ability
to collaborate with others or persist through difficult challenges.
With partners like the US Department of Education and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AmeriCorps is answering
the Biden-Harris administration’s call to support our youth’s
mental health by addressing the determinants of behavioral health,
investing in community services, and fostering a culture and
environment that creates supportive learning environments.
AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve at
nearly 9,500 K-12 schools as tutors, mentors, and in other key
roles to help develop students’ educational and social development
and provide support to teachers. And, more than 4,0000
members have served in Public Health AmeriCorps, providing vital
public health services while also getting the experience and
training they need to pursue a career in public health.
Youth Help Peers Navigate Mental Health Challenges
AmeriCorps understands that when systems act to promote
well-being early, youth reap the mental and emotional benefits for
years to come. This Mental Health Action Day, AmeriCorps builds
upon Public Health AmeriCorps by joining the Schultz Family
Foundation and Pinterest to launch Youth Mental Health Corps – an
innovative, public-private collaboration to support the growing
needs of young people while creating career pathways to address the
national shortage of mental health professionals.
Hundreds of AmeriCorps members ages 18-24 will serve in the
Youth Mental Health Corps across eleven initial states to serve as
navigators in middle and high schools and community-based
organizations, helping them kickstart their careers. Young adults
serving as AmeriCorps members in YMHC will gain hands-on
experience, develop skills, receive an education award, and obtain
a credential while filling critical gaps in the mental health
workforce and care delivery system through three service pathways:
- School-based mental health navigator. AmeriCorps members will
serve in schools, out-of-school-time programs, and community-based
organizations with limited access to mental health services while
earning credentials and/or credits toward a higher education
program.
- Peer support/recovery navigator. Open to members who have lived
experience with mental health challenges and/or substance abuse
disorder, these AmeriCorps members will support peers and
near-peers along their recovery journey while getting the training
and experience required to earn a peer support/recovery specialist
state certification.
- Community mental health navigator. AmeriCorps members will have
the opportunity to serve youth and young adults in communities,
expand access to mental health resources, and receive the training,
support, and experience needed to earn a state-based community
health worker certification.
National Service is a Movement to Bring Out the Best of
America
AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers have been
committed to service, recruiting others to serve, and creating
service experiences that transform lives. Through their dedication
to addressing our nation’s immediate challenges like mental health,
they’ve demonstrated the strength of the national service movement
in our country and continuously proven that AmeriCorps is not just
a moment in our history but a movement to bring out the best of
America.
This Mental Health Action Day and throughout Mental Health
Awareness Month, serve to help advance more equitable health
outcomes for our communities.
Learn more about the Youth Mental Health Corps at
www.youthmentalhealthcorps.org.
National Service Press Office
AmeriCorps
press@americorps.gov