Mental Health Promotion
Mental health promotion is focused on building assets and strengths in Island youth to enhance quality of life. HYI understands that most Islanders highly value mental health and positive stress management, and there are things we can do at any age that will positively impact our well-being.
Mental Health First Aid Training
Mercer Island Healthy Youth Initiative and [insert partner] is provides monthly Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help. This is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues conducted virtually, in small groups.
Be REAL - Resilient Attitudes and Living
Recent years and events have revealed an upward trend in mental health concerns among college students and recent high school graduates. To address the increasing mental health needs of these young adults from Mercer Island, the Mercer Island Healthy Youth Initiative has partnered with the University of Washington’s Center for Child & Family Well-Being (CCFW) to offer Be REAL (Resilient Attitudes and Living) a research-based program at no cost to young adults and recent high school graduates from Mercer Island.
Be REAL is proven to enhance executive function, increase self-compassion, mindfulness, resilience and social connectedness. strengthen skills for well-being, navigate daily stress, and improve your focus in school and work.
Be Kind to Your Mind
Mercer Island Healthy Youth Initiative and Mercer Island High School’s Minds Matter student organization partner to promote “Be Kind to Your Mind” an annual student art contest. See below for our 2020 contest entries.
Sources of Strength
Islander Middle School students uses this upstream model and best practice for youth suicide prevention. This project is designed to harness the power of peer social networks and multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard. This work exists to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse.