On September 17, Mental Health America held its National Policy Institute 2024: Social Drivers of Mental Health in Washington, DC. The program explored the impact of social drivers, such as the integration of care in schools, housing, food and economic security, on mental health. of young people and their families. Experts discussed the need for more social workers to meet the needs of students, how creating communities that support housing for all is the solution to homelessness, and how youth can trust their peers to know what is available for them in the form of economic support in our communities.
Participants included Simon Borger, vice president of Mental Health and Wellness at Policy Institute sponsor Kaiser Permanente; Lena O’Rourke, Healthy Schools Campaign; Jessica Lee, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services; Richard Cho, US Department of Housing and Urban Development; Sakeenah Shabazz, United States Department of Agriculture; Tegan Lecheler, Puente Project; Anna Bailey, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; and Saiarchana Darira, MHA Youth Policy Accelerator alumnus.
At the end of the day, the Youth Policy Advocacy Award was presented to Cole Ramsey of Indiana. When presented with the award, Cole shared, “I implore leaders across the country, in small rural areas like mine or in large urban settings, to simply follow suit and give them a seat at the table because young people They know the best way to address mental health. . “They have lived it.”
