Engaging DC Schools in Children’s
Mental Health Awareness Day
Reaching Youth Where They Are
Kendra Fitzgordon, MS, Government of the District of Columbia, Department of Behavioral Health
Marcus Clark, Total Family Care Coalition
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Background
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is a key strategy of the Caring for
Every Child's Mental Health Campaign, which is part of SAMHSA’s Public Awareness
and Support Strategic Initiative. The effort seeks to raise awareness about the
importance of children's mental health and that positive mental health is essential to
a child's healthy development from birth. Communities find new and inspiring ways
every year to express what National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is all
about and to reinforce the importance of children's mental health.
Communities host more than 1,100 events every year in honor of Awareness Day.
2014 included movie screenings, art activities, and much more.
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
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Background
Today we will discuss what the District of Columbia did in 2014 to recognize the
importance of mental health for children, youth, and young adults and to build
awareness around positive mental health messaging and resources for youth in our
city as part of the DC Gateway System of Care project through the collaborative
efforts of a diverse group of DC child serving agencies, community groups and
family organizations. We will also explore how you can do the same in your
communities.
Any age group of youth can be targeted for children’s mental health awareness day
and positive mental health messaging. One good way to reach youth from middle
school thru young adulthood to utilize social media.
Many youth are attached to social media outlets and it can be a good way to
maximize your social marketing efforts.
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Social Media & Social Marketing
Friends, but
FRIENDS… BUT
notNOTtwins
TWINS
What is the difference?
SOCIAL MEDIA
 Social interaction
among people in
virtual networks
(Facebook, Twitter,
Linkedin,Instagram,
Pinterest, etc)
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
SOCIAL
MARKETING
 Primary focus is
promoting social good
 Integrating marketing
concepts to influence
behaviors
 Distinct from
commercial marketing
Social Marketing, Social Good
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Value of Social Marketing
 Address social issues
 Meet social needs
 Garner support and awareness
 Encourage social change
 Public trust
 Building communities
 Engagement and conversation
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Using Social Marketing to Address Stigma
•
•
o
One of the biggest barriers to treatment is social
stigma.
What is social stigma?
Social stigma is the negative view that others can
project onto people who reveal particular
imperfections or problems.
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Improving Access through Awareness
Everyone has mental health needs, whether or not they
have mental illness, just as everyone has physical
health needs, whether or not they are sick.
- Lynne Friedli
•
Social Marketing can meet the goal of access
through improving the public’s perception and
understanding of mental health and mental
wellness.
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Creating A Campaign That Utilized
Social Marketing and Social Media
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Creating A Campaign That Utilized
Social Marketing and Social Media
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reaching out to principals and school social workers
Identifying messaging for youth
Provide positive mental health messaging
Make it informational and fun
Adding a contest component
Using the contest component to get youth to spread positive mental
health messaging on social media and increase your social media
network and outreach
7. Offer incentives for youth
8. Partner with community organizations to help sponsor events
9. Identify community resources for youth
10. Ensure legality of contest and incentives
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Sample Scavenger Hunt Information
TAKING CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Similarly,
not feeling bad is not the same as feeling good. While some people may not have negative feelings, they still need to do things
that make them feel good in order to achieve positive mental and emotional health.
People who are mentally and emotionally healthy have:
•
A sense of contentment.
•
The ability to laugh and have fun.
•
The ability to deal with stress and bounce back from hard times.
•
A balance between work and play.
•
Self-confidence and high self-esteem.
SUICIDE
Some studies have found that 12% of D.C. high school students have made a suicide attempt at some point in their lives and 25%
of D.C. youth report that they have felt depressed for two weeks or more. Sometimes it can be hard to tell others how bad you are
feeling, however, you need to in order to get help and begin to feel better. You can make a difference for yourself by being strong
enough to know when you need help and ask for it. You can be the difference for a friend who is struggling, too, by getting them
the help they need.
The D.C. Department of Behavioral Health works with programs all around D.C. to make sure that you can get help for any mental
health problem – depression, anxiety, abuse, anger, etc. If you are in crisis, call 800-273-TALK (273-8255).
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Sample Survey Questions
1. Please enter your contact information so we can notify winners of the Randomized Drawing (If you'd like
to be entered for a chance to win the Apple iPad mini, please provide your twitter name below and follow
@Dare2CareDC and @DCTrustCorp. You must tweet both accounts by May 5, 2014 with the following
message: #ChildrensMentalHealthMattersDC).
Name:
School Name:
Homeroom Teacher:
Twitter Name:
Grade:
Email Address:
2. What are 2 things that people can do to keep themselves mentally and emotionally healthy?
Keep things bottled up
Be a couch potato
Laugh and have fun with friends
Get 8 hours of sleep
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Sample Survey Questions
3. What are 3 things that can lead to depression?
Being bullied or discriminated against
The loss of a parent, sibling or friend
Problems with family, peers or at school
Doing things that you enjoy doing
4. What are 2 things you can do if you have concerns about your own or a friend's mental health?
Talk to a school counselor, parent or trusted adult
Call Access Helpline
Ignore your feelings
Act out
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Measurable Goals
 Specific: one area
 Measurable: quantifiable
 Attainable: reachable
 Realistic: reasonably achieved given the
resources
 Time-Bound: time in which result
should be achieved
 Example: Increase Facebook Likes by
25%, from 100 likes to 125 by May 2015.
 Example: Provide positive mental
health messaging to 500 youth.
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Create your Own Campaign
… Please develop the elements of a letter inviting
school(s) to participate in a virtual scavenger hunt.
Consider what information you need to provide and
how you will make this appealing to the principal.
…Create 5 questions (3 informational and 2
evaluation questions)
District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health
Evaluation
 Monitoring if you’ve reached your goal
 Lessons Learned (what worked/what didn’t)
 Did your message reach the intended
audience
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Things to Consider
1.
Cultural Competence
2.
Consent from parent/guardian
3.
Collaborative efforts and partnerships with other agencies and organizations.
4.
Evaluation of results.
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