<div><div><p paraid="1782968485" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{9}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">By: Haley Pierce, Manager, FMI Foundation </span></p></div><div><p paraid="690456336" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{25}"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/nfmm-infographic-mental-health.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=2f9da93a_1" style="float:right;margin:10px;" class="-align-right" alt="NFMM Infographic Mental Health" sf-size="419757" />Alongside the heat and allergies that this month brings, May also brings the promise of spring flowers, the excitement of driving with your windows down and the ever-pressing anticipation of summer vacation. May also serves as an integral time to discuss mental health, resilience, support and wellness with the start of Mental Health Awareness Month. </p></div><div><p paraid="216105745" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{45}">This year, the week of May 4th to 10th serves as Children’s Mental Health Action Week, spearheaded by the <a href="https://www.ffcmh.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Federation of Families</a>, a vital partner in the FMI Foundation’s <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Family Meals Movement</a>. This isn’t just another awareness week; it’s a call to action for a generation grappling with unprecedented mental health challenges. <span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> </span></p></div><div><h5 paraid="1964916601" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{75}">Current Data on Youth Mental Health </h5></div><div><p paraid="2000280629" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{81}">The data is alarming: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html#:~:text=40%25%20reported%20persistent%20feelings%20of,suicide%20in%20the%20past%20year." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">40% of high school students</a> report debilitating hopelessness or sadness and <a href="https://mhanational.org/news/mha-releases-2024-state-of-mental-health-in-america-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1 in 5 youth</a> have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, with over half going untreated for a variety of reasons. This gap demands urgent attention, mirroring a global crisis where the majority of the <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/improving-the-mental-and-brain-health-of-children-and-adolescents" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">8% of children and 15% of adolescents</a> experiencing mental health issues or disorders worldwide don’t receive help. </p></div><div><h5 paraid="1497282362" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{143}">The Economic Impact</h5></div><div><p paraid="1028694281" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{149}">Neglecting youth mental health has far-reaching economic consequences. A report by Nashville-based Meharry Medical College and Deloitte signals that the economic cost of mental health inequities in the U.S. is projected to reach $1.3 trillion annually by 2040, with cumulative costs potentially totaling $14 trillion. Moreover, <a href="https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/59/S/S1#ref-50" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a study in 2010 conducted by Smith and Smith using data from the U.S. Panel Study of Income Dynamics</a> finds that adults who have suffered from mental health problems before the age of 16 have family incomes 20 percent lower than their own siblings, a lifetime difference of $300,000. </p></div><div><h5 paraid="29476488" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{174}">A Global Movement for Change</h5></div><div><p paraid="874504670" paraeid="{071be1e6-77d0-4ff2-8a3f-b5504894a87d}{180}">Across the world, initiatives for those contending with mental health issues or disorders are emerging from <a href="https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australia</a> and <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10387434/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pakistan</a> to <a href="https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-healthcare/new-pediatric-psychology-program-tackle-youth-mental-health-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kentucky</a>. Even the Ice Bucket Challenge, originally introduced as a challenge to support ALS back in 2014, has been repurposed by students from the University of South Carolina to support youth mental health to the <a href="https://support.activeminds.org/fundraiser/6221101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tune of over $405,000</a>. This network of activity may seem disparate, but indicates the groundswell of support from creative people to address youth and adult mental health. </p></div><div><h5 paraid="189880786" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{38}">Our Collective Responsibility</h5></div><div><p paraid="1257211932" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{44}">Children’s Mental Health Action Week is a call to: </p></div><ul><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}">Support early intervention and prevention programs. <span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span></p></li><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Destigmatize mental health conversations, especially around the table at your daily or weekly family meals. </span></p></li><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Empower caregivers and educators to serve as support structures, not only at your next family meal, but at snack time, on the way back from school. </span></p></li><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Learn from successful global initiatives to create community impact. </span></p></li><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Support the National Federation of Families and the FMI Foundation’s digital actions and repost any of our infographics below. Be visible to your networks as a supporter of youth mental health through family meals! </span></p></li><li><p paraid="455205901" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{62}"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Host a family meal with an unexpected guest: a community member, a coworker, a mentor, or fellow student from school. </span></p></li></ul><div><p xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" paraid="2080022232" paraeid="{80419010-a84e-4ab4-a634-fde727e2eb98}{180}">According to the 2025 Family Meals Barometer report, sharing a family meal has implications for connection (53% feel more connected through family meals than a year ago), financial wellness (61% agree to have more family meals because they are more economical), and civility (74% agree that family meals are great times to have and teach respectful interactions) </p></div></div><div><p paraid="8036256" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{142}">The mental health of our children is a societal imperative. Let this week be the catalyst for meaningful action, whether it’s hosting a meal to connect on what matters or finally signing up to mentor at-risk youth community members who need it. Their future, and ours, depends on it. </p></div><div><p paraid="1486411222" paraeid="{603ebbff-1bee-4c73-8ef8-b706a9d11cea}{170}"><a href="https://go.fmi.org/celebrate-mental-health" target="_blank" class="button">View Our Infographics</a> <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals-movement" class="button-secondary">Join the Movement</a></p></div>
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