{"id":118046,"date":"2023-05-04T01:25:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T05:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=118046"},"modified":"2023-05-04T01:27:17","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T05:27:17","slug":"resilient-lehigh-valley-in-partnership-with-lehigh-and-northampton-counties-promotes-youth-voice-and-leadership-in-addressing-the-youth-mental-health-epidemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=118046","title":{"rendered":"Resilient Lehigh Valley, in partnership with Lehigh and Northampton Counties, promotes Youth Voice and Leadership in addressing the youth mental health epidemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

$25,000 in grants provided to launch or deepen school-based Aevidum youth mental health clubs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Allentown, PA (May 3, 2023) \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Twenty-five local middle and high schools are now able to lift up youth voice and leadership to address rising rates of youth depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation through $25,000 in grants to launch a new or deepen an existing school-based Aevidum Club. Funds were provided by Lehigh and Northampton Counties and promoted and distributed through Resilient Lehigh Valley. Participating middle and high schools received $1,000 each to create or implement an\u00a0Aevidum\u00a0<\/em>program\u00a0that aims to empower students to break the `stigma around depression, suicide, anxiety, and other mental health issues facing teens through peer-to-peer messaging, events, and activities. Aevidum means \u201cI\u2019ve got your back,\u201d and was created by students in Lancaster, PA, after a classmate died by suicide.<\/p>\n

“We are in a youth mental health crisis with teenagers reporting troubling increases in depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. With a collaborative and cross-sector approach, Resilient Lehigh Valley is committed to improving mental health among our youth. By expanding Aevidum programs, we can empower more youth to shape solutions and equip more schools to better meet students\u2019 mental health needs and ensure all students feel a sense of belonging,\u201d says Beth Tomlinson, co-founder of Resilient Lehigh Valley and senior director of community resilience at United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Schools interested in starting an Aevidum club can contact Mary Pritchard,\u00a0 Aevidum\u2019s Director of Outreach, at\u00a0maryaevidum@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the Pennsylvania Youth Survey, more local youth than ever before report struggling with their mental health on a regular basis. In fact, 43% of Lehigh Valley middle and high school-aged youth report feeling depressed most days in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n

To directly address this issue, Resilient Lehigh Valley distributed $1,000 to each of the following 25 schools to support an Aevidum program and faculty advisor:<\/p>\n