FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF NORTH TEXAS IS ONE OF THREE TEXAS SITES CHOSEN TO LAUNCH THE COUNTRY’S FIRST YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CORPS
LEWISVILLE, TEXAS (July 2, 2024) —To Address the growing youth mental health crisis in America, Texas is collaborating with ten other states, the Schultz Family Foundation, Pinterest, and AmeriCorps to introduce the nation’s first Youth Mental Health Corp. This initiative aims to recruit, train, and deploy dedicated members to help teenagers access essential mental health resources.
The Youth Mental Health Corps represents an innovative public-private partnership that includes America’s Service Commissions, America Forward, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The Corps will meet the increasing mental health needs of young people and create career pathways to mitigate the national shortage of mental health professionals. Corps members will be trained to serve as navigators, assisting middle and high school students in schools and community-based organizations.
In Texas, three organizations were selected to launch the program. Notably, all three entities are Communities In Schools affiliates, part of the nation’s largest evidence-based dropout prevention program. Youth Mental Health Corps members will work with Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT), CIS Central Texas, and CIS San Antonio. They will provide case management through weekly one-on-one or small group sessions to students identified as economically disadvantaged. CISNT Chief Executive Officer Tasha Moore noted, “We are incredibly proud to be part of this groundbreaking and innovative work to increase students’ access to essential mental health services. This initiative addresses the urgent need for mental health support among young people and aims to attract and inspire a new generation of mental health professionals. By investing in the well-being of our students and creating opportunities for young professionals, we are building a stronger, healthier future for our community.”
Youth Mental Health Corps members will acquire practical experience, receive financial stipends, and earn career-advancing credentials. Additionally, they will qualify for education awards that can be used for further studies or to pay off student loans.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, one-third of high school students report ongoing feelings of hopelessness. Additionally, about 122 million Americans reside in regions where there is a critical shortage of mental health professionals, with a deficit exceeding 6,000 practitioners.
The influence of social media on youth mental health is a significant concern. Corps members will engage directly with students to foster trust, offer digital and media literacy resources, and assist in navigating online issues such as harassment and bullying.
The Youth Mental Health Corps seeks to combat this crisis by harnessing the potential of national service. Initiated by the Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest, the program was crafted with input from hundreds of experts and practitioners. These organizations will fund state service commissions to customize the initiative to meet local needs, offering free training and credentials to Corps members. AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteerism, will support hosting organizations and provide stipends and education awards to the Corps members.
In September 2024, hundreds of Corps members will begin their service in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas. Furthermore, seven other states—California, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Utah—have secured planning grants and are set to establish their own Corps programs by the fall of 2025. With the program’s growth, thousands of young adults will participate annually, offering crucial mental health support to numerous teenagers across the country.
Individuals aged 18-24 with a high school diploma are encouraged to apply at [www.youthmentalhealthcorps.org](http://www.youthmentalhealthcorps.org).
“In Texas, we are committed to growing the mental health workforce and ensuring our students have access to the resources they need in school. We are honored to partner with Communities In Schools as one of the first states to implement the Youth Mental Health Corps and offer school-based mental health navigator career development opportunities for young people, while they provide critical wrap-around services to middle and high school students.” – Chris Bugbee, President and CEO, OneStar Foundation
About Communities In Schools of North Texas
Communities In Schools of North Texas is a nonprofit that works with students at risk of dropping out by surrounding them with a community of support to ensure they stay in school and achieve in life. It is part of a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of who they are, their ability, zip code, or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly in 57 schools across Denton, Cooke, and Wise Counties, CISNT connects students to caring adults and community resources that help them overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. CISNT served over 6,500 North Texas students in the 2023-2024 school year.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; it empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov. AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to join the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service.
About the Schultz Family Foundation
The Schultz Family Foundation’s mission is to create greater opportunity, accessible to all. Our work is deeply rooted in the lives and values of our co-founders, Sheri and Howard Schultz, who believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. We seek to apply the lessons they have learned over the decades to seed innovations and scale solutions to help young people successfully navigate the transition to adulthood and positively impact the trajectory of their lives. We are investors in unleashing potential and unlocking opportunity, working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and governments that share our aspiration of enabling everyone to access the full promise of America. Learn more at: www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org
About Pinterest
Pinterest is a visual search and discovery platform where people find inspiration, curate ideas, and shop for products—all in a positive place online. Headquartered in San Francisco, Pinterest launched in 2010 and has over half a billion monthly active users worldwide.
To learn more about AmeriCorps at CISNT, visit https://cisnt.org/americorps/.
