Featured Stories

Community mobilization furthers the Community Plan by facilitating or supporting programs, events and collaborative outreach efforts that create efficient ways for the community to come together to help remove the stigma surrounding mental health and increase awareness of resources. 

This school year was eventful for the Zero Reasons Why campaign in Johnson County, Kan., highlighted by trips to Iola and Topeka, Kan., several in-school events, Teen Council meetings and two Community Mental Health Convenings.

"I want to be a voice and ally to people that are hurting, who see that there are no resources for them. A lot of kids don't have parents to go to or don't have resources that are reliable.

 Being Hispanic and Latino, the...

We believe storytelling has the power to remove stigma. But to understand what kind of storytelling makes an impact, we must first understand who is receiving those stories and what perspective they bring to the conversation.

"A few years ago I was in a crisis, and I knew I didn't want to stay that way. I realized [mental health] is a bigger problem than we talk about, and something that people need to know more about. I don't want people to...

Adults have historically been the decision-makers and primary voices on the topic of mental health – educators, health professionals or parents have determined what to say, how to say it and when (or if) the topic will be addressed.

"After my family lost my stepsister in December of 2017, it really rocked our world. I care about mental health and suicide prevention because I don’t want anyone else to go through the struggle that she went through. I’ve...

There are many factors that contribute to the mental health crisis teens experience today and many barriers to receiving support. We can’t claim to know what causes the teen mental health epidemic, but Zero Reasons Why is built on addressing two key factors: reducing mental health stigma and increasing help-seeking behavior.

The modern teenage experience is unlike anything previous generations have lived through. Along with the conveniences that a more connected society brings, teens are navigating uncharted, complex territory, with many factors contributing to the youth mental health crisis in recent years.