If you could focus on one thing to be your best self, what would it be? For STAY youth, it’s mental health. They want to build a healthy mind by working on mental health challenges and building coping skills. STAY youth often face mental health challenges. Improving mental health is one of the most important things during their transition to adulthood. Mental health challenges often come from various past or ongoing trauma, like abandonment or abuse. These challenges can affect youth in many ways, especially relationships.
“The biggest challenge I have is my mental health. Because of things that happened in my previous household, I developed many mental health illnesses, and that’s been very difficult for me and the people in my life. It can put a strain on my relationships.”
– STAY youth
Many STAY youth look for and use mental health services and resources, including therapy and psychiatry. They often rely on their case managers to connect them to resources and services that fit their needs. Sometimes STAY youth felt pressured to do a certain therapy or take medications they don’t want.
Connecting youth to the right mental health services and resources can be difficult. STAY case managers said that there are usually long waitlists for certain mental health services. There are also limited culturally appropriate mental health services available, such as Native therapists. However, there are other ways case managers and supportive adults can help. They can support youth on their mental health journey by:
- Regularly checking or showing interest in youth’s mental health,
- Modeling ways to cope, especially in challenging moments,
- Modeling healthy choices and behaviors, and
- Being a safe person to talk to.
Here is an example from a STAY youth:
“My psychiatrist has helped a lot with my mental health. This is silly, but one of the things he does is when I tell him what’s going on, he would repeat back his understanding of what I said, which helps.” – STAY youth
Another STAY youth shared how emotional regulation from their supportive adults helps their mental health:
“Being emotionally regulated really helps. I struggle with a handful of different mental health illnesses that can sometimes put off my own emotional regulation. So, them being people who understand the position I’m going through and how to redirect it without amplifying my feelings or how I’m expressing them.” – STAY youth
Youth build confidence and resilience when they can work through mental health issues and build coping skills with the help of case managers and supportive adults. Youth are then better prepared to face future challenges and take on opportunities. With a healthy mind, youth can focus better on good choices, what they like, healthy boundaries, milestones, and more.
