PROJECT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WELCOMES YOU

Learn. Create. Share. Grow.

PMHA Ball High School 2017 Winner: Yoali Galvan and Flavio Ramos

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WHAT WE DO

Project Mental Health Awareness (PMHA) is a self-sustaining program designed to be incorporated into any middle school or high school curriculum or elementary counselor guidance lessons to increase mental health awareness and promote early recognition by students. The program facilitates and guides students through the process of creating Public Service Announcements (PSA) with mental health themes. This program will empower students to learn about various mental health issues, create and share their knowledge with peers using technology and media skills, and experience personal growth as they inspire and support others to make change and seek help when needed.

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WHY WE DO IT

According to kidsmentalhealth.org, "Children's mental health is without a doubt the most important aspect of any child's social and cognitive development. Children need to have a good mental health status if they are going to live up to their full potential and truly live a life that is filled with positive experiences and the willingness to do what is best for themselves and the people around them." The CDC shows that prevalence of mental disorders increases with age, therefore it is crucial for children to be able to identify different signs and symptoms in either themselves or others, so help can be sought as quickly as possible.

Adolescents and teenagers are at risk of experiencing a variety of mental health issues including substance abuse, risky behaviors, dating violence, depression, and suicide. In addition, they may feel alone in their suffering and often are unaware of available resources. The teenage population of Texas should be aware of mental health topics that affect their peers, school, or themselves, and should have access to and knowledge of available mental health resources.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 have a mental health disorder. In addition, the CDC reports that 17% of high school students have seriously contemplated suicide within the last 12 months. Though many resources exist to help teenagers experiencing mental health problems, there is an average delay of 8-10 years to seek help. This delay often leads to progression and exacerbation of mental illnesses as well as developmental and academic deficits. Furthermore, untreated mental illness may lead to self-medication, addiction and, in some cases, involvement in the legal system. The societal costs of untreated mental illness are substantial, including lost productivity, poverty, and criminal activity.

Project Mental Health Awareness will utilize the student’s creativity and multimedia skills to create meaningful videos and other media (PSAs) targeted toward their peers to address a variety of issues present in their community. The videos will educate students and the broader public on a mental health topic (e.g. depression, suicide, and substance abuse), and providing information on how to seek help.

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GRADES 2-5 PSA TOPICS

Mental Health Topics That Can Be Addressed

Below are just a few of the mental health topics that can be addressed in the program.

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ANGER

BULLYING

WORRYING AND ANXIETY

SADDNESS OR DEPRESSION

EMBARRASSMENT

ABUSE

AND MANY MORE!

GRADES 6-12 PSA TOPICS

Mental Health Topics That Can Be Addressed

Below are just a few of the mental health topics that have been addressed in the program. The photos beside each topic are still frames from PSAs created in the past for each topic.

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