THE YOUNG WOMEN'S PROJECT

P2P-SBMH (PEER TO PEER SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, DBH FUNDED). THIS PROGRAM OVERLAPS SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN (MHC). WITH THE OVERALL GOALS OF REDUCING STIGMA AND THE IMPACT OF TOXIC STRESS AND TRAUMA, INCREASING SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND EXPANDING SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL-WELLNESS EDUCATION, THE SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STUDENT PEER EDUCATOR PILOT PROGRAM (SB-BH P2P) TRAINED AND SUPPORTED A CADRE OF MORE THAN 122 YOUTH STAFF LEADERS (AGES 14-19) FROM 30+ DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO WILL USE EDUCATION, REFERRALS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STUDENT ON- LINE SUPPORT (SOS) VIRTUAL WELLNESS CENTERS TO EDUCATE TO ENGAGE 12,032 PEERS AND CONNECT THEM TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. P2P-SBMH YOUTH STAFF REACHED 12,032 PEERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT INCLUDING 11,013 THROUGH CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS AND 2,120 WITH WEEKLY RESOURCES AND SKILLS-FOCUSED INFORMATION. YOUTH CONNECTED 2,879 DIRECTLY TO COUNSELORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS. MORE THAN 65% OF YOUTH STAFF AND YOUTH REACHED WILL LIVE IN HIGH POVERTY NEIGHBORHOODS AND WARDS 5, 7 AND 8. WITH THE OVERALL GOALS OF REDUCING STIGMA AND THE IMPACT OF TOXIC STRESS AND TRAUMA, INCREASING SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND EXPANDING SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL-WELLNESS EDUCATION, THE MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN TRAINED AND SUPPORTED A CADRE OF MORE THAN 122 YOUTH STAFF LEADERS (AGES 14-19) FROM 30+ DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO USED EDUCATION, REFERRALS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STUDENT ON-LINE SUPPORT (SOS) VIRTUAL WELLNESS CENTERS TO EDUCATE TO ENGAGE 12,032 STUDENTS (INCLUDING 2,200 EACH WEEK WITH PERSONALIZED MESSAGES) THROUGH TRAINING, TEXT CHATS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PRESENTATIONS, COVERING 10 HEALTH ISSUES INCLUDING TOXIC STRESS, RESILIENCE BUILDING, SLEEP, TRAUMA, ANXIETY, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, CONSENT, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, MEDITATION, MINDFULNESS, BREATHING, BRAIN SCIENCE,, DEPRESSION, SUBSTANCE USE, SUICIDE, NUTRITION, AND ACCESSING SCHOOL BASED AND CITY-WIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. WE ALSO CONNECTED MORE THAN 2,400 YOUTH TO COUNSELORS AND OTHER SUPPORTS, PRESENTED 42 TESTIMONIES TO DC COUNCIL AND SUBMITTED 82 WRITTEN TESTIMONIES, AND CONDUCTED A SURVEY WITH 1,040 STUDENTS FROM 36 SCHOOLS INCLUDING 16 DCPS AND 14 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS, 3 PRIVATE, AND 3 MIDDLE SCHOOLS LIVING IN ALL DC WARDS WITH SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION FROM WARDS 7 AND 8 (30% OF SURVEY TAKERS), 4 (24%) AND 5 (15%). SINCE 2020, YWP PEER EDUCATORS HAVE CONDUCTED AN ANNUAL YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS SURVEY--DOCUMENTING HIGH RATES OF YOUTH STRESS, DEPRESSION, AND ISOLATION AND LOW RATES OF SERVICE ACCESS. WE USED THE SURVEY FINDINGS AND OUR EXPERIENCE TO EDUCATE TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, PRINCIPALS, AND AGENCY LEADERS ON THE NEEDS OF YOUTH - WHO ARE STILL IN CRISIS WITH HIGH RATES OF DEPRESSION (31%), SUICIDE (14%) AND HIGH STRESS (77%). FINALLY, MHC DEEPENED THE ROLE OF OUR L2 (ADVANCED) YOUTH LEADERS THIS YEAR: 12 L2 MHC YOUTH LEADERS SERVED AS TRAINERS FOR NEW STAFF, IMPLEMENTING A 8 HOUR CURRICULA INCLUDING SUBSTANCE USE, NUTRITION, FOOD DESERTS, AND NUTRITION. ENGAGING L2 YOUTH ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN LARGER TEAMS AND BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE CURRICULA IN SMALLER GROUPS.

THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC) THE DC YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (DC YAC) ENGAGES 30 DC YOUTH FROM ALL WARDS AND SEVERAL SCHOOLS WHO ENGAGE AND DEVELOP AS LEADERS, WORKERS, AND HEALTHY YOUTH. YAC MEMBERS DEVELOP THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE TRANSITIONS, BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS, ACHIEVE PERSONAL GOALS, INCREASE AGENCY, AND IMPROVE PERSONAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. THEY ALSO USE THEIR LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS TO INCREASE HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND ACCESS FOR THEIR PEERS, WITH HEALTH EDUCATION, SOCIAL MEDIA, ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS. THE 2023-24 YAC TEAM INCLUDES 30 YOUTH FROM 13 DC PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO PROGRAM OUTCOMES IN YHEP AND MHC. YAC YOUTH LEADERS EDUCATED 300 PEERS WITH WEEKLY VPSA MESSAGES, REACHED 2,250 THROUGH CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, AND DISTRIBUTED 7,000 CONDOMS.