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United Way of Northern Arizona — Supporting Youth Mental Health

by Community Contributor • February 22, 2024 • Comments Off

When school started last year, the EdWeek Research Center (part of the publication Education Week) conducted a survey, asking high school students the following question: In the past year, what, if anything, has had a negative impact on your mental health?

Here was the statistic that pulled me up short: only 16% of the respondents said “Nothing.”

That means 84% had experienced enough stress and anxiety – about everything from school to the future of our planet – that it had a detrimental effect on their mental health.

From the desk of:

Liz Archuleta

President & CEO

Experts point to many reasons why there is an unprecedented youth mental health crisis right now. The disruptions of the pandemic certainly exacerbated mental health issues, making many youth feel isolated and profoundly lonely, but many issues existed well before 2020.

Social media has a role in this crisis. Passive consumption of curated images and videos gives our youth unrealistic perceptions about everything from body image and life achievements. Add to that, of course, the potential of cyberbullying.

United Way of Northern Arizona recognizes that our youth are facing unprecedented challenges in their mental health and not addressing this issue could lead to long-term consequences, both for our youth and our society.

Untreated mental health issues often lead to substance abuse and risky behaviors, and can hinder our children’s ability to reach their full potential. The impact of that then ripples out to society at large in the form of decreased workplace productivity and burdens on our healthcare systems.

Many of the partners UWNA supports provide programs and services helping our youth develop strategies for coping with anxiety and stress, such as mentoring programs. Our youth shelter programs provide not only basic need items like food and clothing, but trauma services, substance abuse programs, and mental health screenings.

It’s a good start, but we need to do more.

We are working to identify additional ways that UWNA and its partners can collaborate to increase access to mental health services, raise awareness and education about youth mental health, support families, and provide our youth with tools and support they need to thrive.

Focusing on youth mental health is not just a moral imperative, it’s an investment in northern Arizona’s future. We look forward to having your input and support as we work to step up for our youth.

In addition to being the co-chairs of this year’s annual campaign, Dan and Kim Musselman have unique insights into the challenges facing our youth in northern Arizona. Dan is the Chief of Police in Flagstaff and Kim is the Director of Health and Human Services for Coconino County.

They see the consequences of not having enough resources to promote positive youth development. According to Dan, our youth need more robust support services at a time when teens are facing unprecedented mental wellness challenges, which also impacts families.

“What I’m hearing from my officers is that both parents and youth need additional support and resources,” he said.

One way you can Step Up for Our Youth is by making a donation today to the United Way of Northern Arizona’s annual campaign to help fund programs that address the critical needs of our youth.

DONATE HERE