SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A total of 23 local organizations are receiving new funding to expand their youth mental health programs, thanks to a $6 million grant from the Prebys Foundation.
“May is mental health month…but every month is mental health month,” said Chris Sichel, Vice President of Programs, Prebys Foundation.
According to a 2021 CDC studythat examined a decade of mental health, more than 40% of U.S. high schoolers feel persistently sad or hopeless, and more than 20% have seriously considered attempting suicide.
Sichel says the Prebys Foundation aims to improve those stats, especially here in San Diego.
He says the $6 million grant will be spent on programs that improve youth mental health in various ways — many offer fun, therapeutic, social and outdoor activities.
“Less play, more phones…that doesn’t lead to good mental health or physical health,” said Sichel. “The Prebys Foundation is very committed to providing opportunities for kids to be out and about, to be physically active, and to be involved with their community in ways that maybe aren’t offered in their everyday environment.”
Girl Scouts San Diego is one organization that will be receiving a portion of the funding.
“There is this inferiority complex that is building up in our youth because of what they’re seeing on social media and how they’re comparing themselves to others on social media,” said Carol Dedrich, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts San Diego.
“When I took over this job, I had no concept of the calls that I would be receiving during the pandemic and now post-pandemic from parents who are really concerned about their daughters and not being equipped or skilled to know what to do,” she said.
Dedrich says that in response, Girl Scouts San Diego will use the $250,000 they receive to accelerate their efforts with a training program called Youth Mental Health First Aid, designed for their adults to help them identify the signs and symptoms of mental health crises.
“And then know what to do, what to say, what not to say, to listen in a non-judgmental way…and then if it’s severe, to be able to resource them with professionals in the mental health space,” said Dedrich.
Dedrich says their next Youth Mental Health First Aid training sessions will be held on June 29 and July 27. Those interested can sign up online, and those with questions about the new program can email customercare@sdgirlscouts.org.
The 23 organizations receiving a portion of the $6 million grant from the Prebys Foundation include:
- ‘ataaxum Pomkwaan Inc.
- Bayside Community Services
- Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos
- Boys & Girls Clubs of East County
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego
- Boys to Men Mentoring Network
- California State San Marcos University Foundation
- Center for Community Solutions
- Champions for Health
- Father Joe’s Villages
- Girl Scouts San Diego
- Institute for Public Strategies
- Julian Pathways, Inc
- Kupanda
- License to Freedom
- MANA de San Diego
- NAMI San Diego
- North County Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning Resource Center
- Rady Children’s Hospital - San Diego
- Social Advocates for Youth San Diego Inc
- Southern Sudanese Community Center of San Diego
- The San Diego LGBT Community Center
- transcenDANCE youth arts project
