The Jewish Federations of North America, in partnership with the Network for Jewish Human Services Agencies, have recently come together to bridge the clinical mental health and education/engagement worlds within the Jewish community. This effort, called BeWell, is centered on supporting young people ages 12-26 by providing the adults who care about them (educators, clinicians, clergy, youth professionals, parents) the resources and tools to respond to the growing youth mental health needs across the country.
Moving from a siloed system of mental health, riddled with stigma and lack of access and awareness, BeWell works to engage diverse stakeholders, build awareness, and destigmatize mental health through the integration of resources across youth programs in the Jewish community. BeWell equips “Resiliency Roundtables” on a community level to coordinate a localized network for prevention and intervention. Through training and educational programming, we advance the role of peers in supporting each other, empowering them to effectively respond to the mental health red flags they see, know when to get help, and how to be a supportive friend through hard times. We’ll provide case examples of effective programs engaging teens in this way.
This session will engage the audience in our networked approach to shift mental health and wellness resources from a siloed to a collaborative care model, offer tools for doing so, and connect interested stakeholders to the work happening in their communities.
