To help disadvantaged teens and young adults land jobs, an Anchorage mental health provider is staking out ground in the high-tech farming fields of hydroponics and vertical gardening. Inside a warehouse off Arctic Boulevard last month, violet light bathed rows of tall white columns. Leafy greens poked out in vertical rows, marked with handwritten labels […]
Innovative Interventions
Two Years of Relationship-Focused Mentoring for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Adolescents: Promoting Positive Mental Health
Claire Crooks, director of the Faculty of Education’s Centre for School Mental Health, led a team that implemented a mentorship program for Grade 7 and 8 Indigenous students in the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). Groups of students met once a week with an Indigenous adult mentor. Their sessions focused on acquiring skills, in […]
Decreases in Suicide Deaths and Attempts Linked to the White Mountain Apache Suicide Surveillance and Prevention System
Suicide deaths among the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona dropped by nearly 40 percent between 2006 and 2012 compared to the previous six-year period due to community-based efforts, according to a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. From 2001 to 2006, the suicide rate among 15- to 24-year-olds […]
Compartiendo Esperanza: Speaking with Latinos about Mental Health
Lack of information and misconceptions surrounding mental health issues prevent many members of the Latino community from getting the help and support they need. Compartiendo Esperanza is a bilingual 90-minute presentation that can help increase mental health awareness in Latino communities by addressing a number of important topics: The signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders, […]
Familia Adelante: A Substance Use Prevention and Stress Reduction Program for Latino Adolescents
Description: Familia Adelante (FA) consists of twelve English or Spanish language, 90-minute modules for at-risk youth (age 10-14) and their parents. Trained promotoras or other paraprofessionals can become certified facilitators of the FA program. Familia Adelante addresses the impact of acculturative stress on Latino communities and equips Latino-serving organizations with a psycho-educational curriculum that helps Latino families manage negative behavioral […]
Elders Talking Circle: A Reminiscence Story Sharing Group
NNEDLearn 2014 Participant: Denver Indian Health and Family Services Description: The Elders Talking Circle helps to relieve participants’ symptoms related to dis-empowerment, these include anxiety, denial, despair, isolation, grief or loss, and helplessness. The process of life review and reminiscence, which is part of the Talking Circle, builds empowerment by helping participants achieve inner peace, acceptance, hope, […]