Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Festival to take on issues of mental health in urban areas
Adams Sibley offered these comments about mental health ahead of an event scheduled for Saturday, July 21 at Martin Luther King Elementary School.
“We are so excited to rally the community around this critical issue,” Sibley, a youth coach for Team Trenton expressed via an email statement.”
“Our teens understand that in urban areas like Trenton, mental health carries the weight of stigma and shame. They’ve witnessed it firsthand in their schools and in their neighborhoods, often after it was too late. That’s why they’ve decided to change the narrative and are organizing the Embrace You Community Festival.
Sibley described the event as a “one-day celebration of resilience and mental wellness.”
Mental wellness remains a sensitive subject in urban America as personal acknowledgments of therapy sessions attracts allegations that black people and members of the Latino community rarely seek psychological support.
Next Generation Community Leaders (NGCL) expect their mental health project to raise awareness and educate the community about mental wellness strategies and to empower attendees to nurture self-love as part of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
The New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI), the statewide grant making program of the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation awarded Millhill Child & Family Development and nine other organizations across the state, a NGCL three-year award this past year to harness the energy, knowledge and idealism of young people ages 1421 to prepare them to become future leaders. The Trenton NGCL Team, Team Trenton Standing Tall, consists of 15 young leaders from Trenton.
Discussions among those youth focused on numerous topics but talks became personal when mental health became the issue.
“People are afraid to talk about mental health issues and suicide. They’re uncomfortable,” said NGCL member, Nabia Evans. “So many individuals have problems talking about stuff. They like to keep things inside. People also need to understand the issue before they judge. This festival can help raise awareness and provide people with a better understanding about the importance of mental wellness.”
A 2016 New Jersey Youth Suicide Report noted that suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth aged 1014. The report also points to Mercer as one of three New Jersey counties with the highest rates of suicide attempts and self-inflicted injuries seen in emergency rooms.
While suicide or suicide attempts may exist as the most severe issue regarding mental health, part of the mental wellness puzzle involves depression. In poverty stricken areas of Trenton, a daily dose of violence, murder, blight, drug abuse and other problems can deliver major mental illness challenges.
“I think there’s a stigma that exists in the African American community,” said Michelle Thompkins, associate director of Youth Services for Millhill Child & Family Development.
“A lot of people think ‘I should be strong and I should not share the fact that I need to speak with somebody.’ What’s so nice about Millhill is that we’ve created that safe place for people to visit and get some help. We opened up our new behavioral health center in 2015. It’s now filled to capacity which shows there’s a need in the community and people keep coming. Their attendance proves that we have established a relationship of trust between our clients and the Millhill staff.”
The festival is free and will include presentations by mental health experts, wellness workshops, activities for families, food, fun, music, and learning.
In addition to funding from the New Jersey Health Initiatives, the statewide grantmaking program of Robert Wood Johnson and Millhill Child and Family Development; the festival is supported in part through NJM Insurance Group and The College of New Jersey.
Additional sponsorships are available as well as volunteer and community partner opportunities. For more information visit www.millhillcenter.org/embrace or contact Thompkins at (609) 9897333 x 131.”
Millhill Child & Family Development is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and families in Greater Trenton through education, counseling, family support services and community collaborations spanning from an early age to adult.
Founded in 1971, Millhill serves more than 5,000 individuals in the community with the help of dedicated staff, volunteers and financial contributors. Millhill empowers lives using an approach that is both individualized and collaborative taking into account the dynamics of the whole family.
Services are offered at 101 Oakland Street and 802 Prospect Street in Trenton, NJ. For more information about our programs, please visit www.www.millhillcenter.org or on Facebook at facebook. com/millhillchildandfamily.