As thousands of teens head back to school today, Wake County and the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council are reminding students and parents about the importance of taking care of their mental health and seeking help when needed.

“Starting the school year off strong means not only getting all your supplies and schedules, but also making sure you have the tools to take care of your mental well-being,” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas. “Reaching out for help when you need it is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. As students head back to school, these resources and messages are here to support you every step of the way.”

Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council PSAs
Local teens who serve on the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council came together earlier this year to create a set of PSAs to address teen mental health. Their hope is that the videos will encourage their peers to seek help when needed and combat recent findings from the National Alliance on Mental Health, which show:

• 64% of teens feel the world is more stressful now than when their parents were their age.
• One in four have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
• Two in three agree schools should teach what mental health is, including where and how to seek treatment.
   

The PSAs are available in English and Spanish.

“I participated in these PSAs to learn how to share resources with my friends,” said Aaron, a member of the Wake County 4-H Youth Health Council. “I’m able to learn to see the signs of mental health issues and can begin a conversation to keep my friends and myself safe.”

The videos were created by SeeBoundless in partnership with NC Cooperative Extension, Southeast Raleigh Promise and El Centro Hispano, Inc.

Wake County is looking for teens to serve on the Youth Health Council for the next school year. This volunteer leadership group provides the opportunity for youth to share their voices with Wake County Public Health. Visit the council’s webpage to learn more.

B-roll of PSA production is available here.

Behavioral Health Resources
As students of all ages head back to school, a variety of behavioral and mental health resources are available to them across numerous organizations in Wake County.

If you are in crisis and need immediate assistance:

• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
  • Call 988 (available 24/7)
• Alliance Health Behavioral Health Crisis Line
  • Call 877-223-4617 (available 24/7)
     

The following resources are available in the community to help:

• Youth and Families:
  • Youthline is a national peer-to-peer youth crisis and support service dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide in teens. All calls, texts and chats are answered by teen volunteers and young adults from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
    • Call: 877-968-8491
    • Text: “teen2teen” to 839863
    • Chat: online at youthline.org
  • The Hope Center for Youth and Family Crisis and Mobile Outreach Response Engagement Services (MORES)
    400 W. Ransom St., Fuquay-Varina, 877-888-7849
  • Lucy Daniels Center
    9003 Weston Parkway, Cary, 919-677-1400
  • Haven House
    1008 Bullard Court, Raleigh, 919-833-3312

• All ages:
  • Monarch Behavioral Health Urgent Care
    319 Chapanoke Road, Suite 120, Raleigh, 866-272-7826
  • Therapeutic Alternatives Mobile Crisis Services
    877-626-1772 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Wake Recovery Response Center at WakeBrook
    107 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh, 919-975-5396
     

Call 911 immediately if a life is in danger. If you’re calling 911 for mental health, substance use or a special needs emergency, you can request first responders who have gone through Crisis Intervention Training. CIT-trained first responders understand the unique needs and sensitivities of a behavioral health emergency.

For more information on services offered in Wake County, visit wake.gov/BehavioralHealth.