Youth Mental Health Corps launches initiative to support healthy minds in VA

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A mental health services initiative that is growing across the nation now has Virginia in its footprint.

The Youth Mental Health Corps is designed to have young adults help middle and high schoolers' with mental health crises.

The state agency Serve Virginia ceremonially debuted the corps and quoted Mental Health America statistics saying young Virginians are more likely to have mental illnesses and not have the appropriate care compared to other states.

With the power of private, state and federal partnership, the group of about 50 individuals from the ages 18 to 24 will be working to making a difference.

After noticing a growing rate of anxiety and loneliness in kids and a shortage of behavioral health workers, a number of people in organizations like the Schultz Family Foundation, the social media site Pinterest and the federal program AmeriCorps had the funding and a vision.

"We have been trying to figure out how we can partner with states and local communities to provide additional supports for young people," said Alise Marshall, Pinterest Senior Director for Corporate Affairs and Social Impact.

They came up with the Youth Mental Health Corps, which arrived in Virginia after being adopted in ten other states only a year ago.

Though corps members may be separated by state lines, all are stepping up and offering peer mentorship, lessons in confidence and addressing loneliness in schools and community-based organizations.

"We saw in the recovery space that, especially, young people, especially, who needed more supports and services and developing this workforce pipeline, giving people experiences by serving their fellow person and giving them training so that then they can go out and pursue perhaps professions in these fields which we need desperately," said Joel Morgan, who serves as chair for Governor Glenn Youngkin's Advisory Board for Service and Volunteerism.

Among those members is Dakota Yoon who is serving students in the Arlington County area and helping students by guiding them through tough emotions.

"My hope for this year is that the kids we work with leave our program knowing that people care about them, and that they have real tools to care for themselves," Yoon said.

Yoon also added that lessons in supporting friends in crisis and managing emotions are among the tools she uses.

Virginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin has seen mental health issues time and time again and is applauding the efforts of those willing to roll up their sleeves to help.

"I have no doubt that we will look back 10 or 15 years from now, and we will say that we were all sitting in this room and we saw the launch of something good and great," First Lady Youngkin said.