Model and Strategy
Bring Change to Mind's (BC2M) High School Program works with 260 schools across 18 states by providing peer-led clubs that take a proactive approach to mental health. Through educational presentations, interactive all-school activities, large-scale community events and leadership opportunities, these young advocates are using the BC2M platform to amplify messages of hope and resilience to their peers. We harness the power of our youth to create campuses that are inclusive and empathetic to all that have been touched by mental illness - whether personally or through their family or friend network.
Responding to the mental health needs of our youth at a point of crisis is no longer acceptable. Kids are struggling, many in silence, and it is only through a commitment to preventative, all-inclusive approaches that we can we tackle the underlying stigma and misconceptions that surround these illnesses, and create a safe environment where youth know that it’s ok to seek help.
BC2M’s HS Program is created for teens, by teens. Together we are changing the way students think and talk about mental health. We must bring this evidence-based movement to more schools in our communities.
Impact
Given our published evidence of the clubs’ impact on student knowledge of mental illness, improvements in attitudes and reduced social distance behaviors towards those with mental illness, and engagement in anti-stigma actions, we expect these outcomes to occur in new members and continue to present in the thousands of currently enrolled students participating in the BC2M High School Program.
Over the longer term, we believe that these enhanced impacts will spread beyond the participating students to their classmates at the high schools in question, to teachers and school administrators, to parents and family members, and communities at large. We hope to document such “expanded” change via school-wide surveys and, in selected schools, administration of measures to school staff and family members. In short, we believe that the project has the potential to effect the objective of “cohort replacement,” through which current adolescents--with their natural empathy and social activism, enhanced by club participation--will yield a changed society in future years, as acceptance of mental illness and enhancement of mental health will be embraced by tomorrow’s leaders.
Leadership
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Pamela Harrington
Executive Director
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Leanne Loughran
National Program Director, High School Program