* This is an excerpt, reprinted from Jewish Family Services.*

Dear friends and colleagues,

Jewish Family Service requests your help to encourage Jewish individuals or those living in Jewish households between the ages of 12 and 26 to complete a Youth Metal Health Survey, the results of which will help assess our community’s mental health gaps and needs for this age demographic.
That survey is accessible at the QR code and link below.
The Ask—please share this link and/or QR code in any upcoming external or internal communications such as emails, printed newsletters, or via your social media channels.
The survey was developed by the Jewish Federation of North America’s BeWell initiative, in consultation with Rosov Consulting. The Miami Jewish community has already fielded this survey.

The Backstory.

The Federation funded a one-year mental health pilot initiative at Jewish Family Service (JFS) in 2021. Last year, the Foundation committed three (3) years of support for JFS to expand that effort. Recently, the Foundation, in partnership with the Federation and JFS, launched a local Mental Health Resiliency Roundtable, comprised of professionals, practitioners, and community volunteers to work collectively to identify gap areas and generate creative solutions on how to address them.

Why is this Important? 

In an uncertain world, young people face increasing levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns of an accelerating mental health crisis, with more than 4 in 10 teens reporting that they feel “persistently sad or hopeless,” and 1 in 5 saying they have contemplated suicide. Now that we’ve heard from them, we want to hear from their parents to determine where there is alignment and where additional work might need to be done.

Mobilizing for Change. 

As part of Cincinnati 2030, the Jewish community is mobilizing to create the support young people need as they face challenging moments. As a community, we are working to counteract:
  • Social stigma which prevents people from seeking help.
  • Lack of practical knowledge about the stressors young people face.
  • Professionals, educators and parents don’t know where to turn for information, guidance, or a supportive community.
  • A critical shortage of accessible or affordable mental health professionals.
Please help us get the word out starting today! JFS will share key take-aways with the community once results are final. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely and Shabbat Shalom,
Brian Jaffee, Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati,
Danielle V. Minson, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Liz Vogel, Jewish Family Service

On January 17th at Our Lady of Sorrows, Monroe, Ohio and January 18th St. Monica-St. George, Cincinnati, Ohio The Office for Persons with Disabilities will sponsor a workshop on how to start Mental Health Ministry in your parish hosted by Deacon Ed Schoener, President of The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.

Why Mental Health Ministry?

·      1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year

·      1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year

·      1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year

·      50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24

·      Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14

*National Alliance of Mental Illness

 

Learn how to serve and provide opportunities for individuals and families suffering with mental illness to grow in faith.

“Whoever suffers from mental illness always bears God’s image and likeness in themselves, as does every human being. In addition, they always have the inalienable right not only to be considered as an image of God and therefore as a person, but also to be treated as such.” (Pope John Paul II, International Conference for Health Care Workers, on Illnesses of the Human Mind, November 30, 1996.

Register by email: Lisa Averion

January 17th registration: Archdiocese of Cincinnati: Mental Health Ministry Workshop (signupgenius.com)

January 18