Youth Connect program offering mental health services for hundreds, ages 13-18
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two Shelby County groups have a new program hoping to help hundreds of young people.
Youth Connect is a new program that aims to help the mental health of youth in Shelby County. It’s a collaborative program between The Braid Foundation and the Shelby County Youth and Family Resource Center.
“It’s extremely crucial and I think it’s crucial in a way that we don’t always articulate,” said Cathy Emerson, Co-founder of Braid Foundation. “A lot of our big mental health places are response services or intensive services. So we’re waiting until people are at their breaking point versus making sure that we’re getting services early on before it even gets there.”
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The problem is set to start in May, a crucial time since school will be getting out.
“We’re also talking about servicing youth that are 13 to 18. A really crucial time in development,” said Dr. Shaneika Smith, Co-founder of Braid Foundation.
Their goal is to help up to 300 young people.
“What we’re trying to do is to create easy pathways for youth and their families to access mental health services,” Emerson said.
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“They want that person to feel relatable and sometimes that person comes from your community and can identify with you,” Smith said. “So they will be able to know therapists in their area.”
They will receive up to 12 sessions for free.
“But after that, they’ll still be able to utilize these people in their community,” Smith said. “We are looking at areas of high need and prioritizing those individuals.”
There will also be an application process, but they are not accepting them yet.
More information can be found here.
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