Wish You Knew Campaign
Mental health crises happen more often than we imagine. From 2018 to 2019, suicide deaths among Washtenaw County residents increased by 26%.
One age group that is heavily impacted by mental health outcomes are youth. In Washtenaw County, 31.5% of teens felt sad or hopeless every day for the past two weeks in the year 2020 (see chart below). In other words, nearly 1 out of 3 teens experienced a mental health crisis in 2020. If the youth are unable to access mental health care and support, then it may lead to poorer health outcomes later in their adult life.
To prevent adverse mental health outcomes among the youth population, they must have access to mental health care. One of the first steps to accessing mental health care is being aware of available mental health resources. However, awareness alone is not enough; youth must feel comfortable accessing these resources. Currently, a huge barrier to accessing mental health care is the negative stigma associated with mental health concerns. Often, young individuals do not feel comfortable discussing their mental health concerns with adults. Together, we must work to change these perspectives.
The Wish You Knew Campaign (#WYK) emerged in Washtenaw County to shed light on the unspoken truths of youth and adults and highlight what they wish others knew about mental health. This campaign is funded by Washtenaw County’s Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage and works towards combating stigma around mental health among youth, parents, and educators. It utilizes community organizations, school systems, print and digital advertisements, and social media to widely share mental health resources. This public platform allows for engagement across all of Washtenaw County and beyond. Notably, a Spotify advertisement reached 35,695 unique listeners, and ten billboards across the county were viewed an estimated 900,000 times! This is a huge accomplishment as it plants the seed of curiosity regarding mental health and mental health care, which helps to break down mental health stigma.
Part of addressing mental health stigma among youth is also addressing mental health stigma among the adults in their lives and within school systems. The #WYK campaign has partnered with Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) schools, including middle and high schools. They provide the schools with educational mental health resources, which are then distributed to school staff and students. This provides an opportunity for both adults and youth to learn about mental health and seek mental health care. More so, it helps creates trusting relationships between youth and adults, mental health care providers, and the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD). Additionally, the #WYK campaign understands that individuals have different learning styles, so it seeks to engage individuals in various manners. It does so through quotes, artwork, videos, activities, print materials, and social media. For those who love to engage on social media, follow the #WYK campaign on Instagram @wishyouknewwashtenaw.
The #WYK campaign widely promotes the CARES Team, a free mental health service that WCHD provides to all Washtenaw County residents, regardless of age, insurance status, or any other potential barrier to care. The CARES Team is comprised of trained mental health professionals, peer support specialists, case managers, nurses, and psychiatrists who provide mental health care and support for those in need. Some of the services available through CARES include individual and group therapy, case management, peer support, psychiatry, and nursing. The CARES Team offers a 24/7 open line (734-544-3050) for both crisis and non-crisis situations, which an individual can call at any time with questions regarding mental health and mental health care. This phone service acts as a reminder that you are not alone, and that support is always available.
Mental health care is not only needed in a crisis, but also in our daily lives as a form of preventative care. The #WYK campaign raises awareness about mental health so that it is no longer considered a taboo subject, but rather a normal topic. The campaign uses responses from youth about what they wish others knew about mental health to create program materials that are most beneficial to the community. The #WYK campaign also facilitates mental health focus groups among youth that serve as a safe space to engage in open conversations about mental health and build peer support systems. Additionally, the campaign protects the anonymity of participants which allows for full transparency. Furthermore, the #WYK campaign provides information on mental health warning signs so that someone can intervene early on to stop a mental health crisis before it arises.
The Wish You Knew Campaign has sparked mental health dialogues in Washtenaw County. Both youth and adults are beginning to shift negatives perceptions of mental health into positive ones, which is phenomenal! Soon, the #WYK campaign will elevate the voices of youth by documenting their stories via video in efforts to further destigmatize mental health. The #WYK campaign team is also exploring ways to make community resources, like the CARES line, more accessible and welcoming to young individuals. The #WYK campaign team hopes to further integrate its resources and educational materials so that they are more comprehensive. Be on lookout for all the amazing and useful #WYK campaign materials to come!
If you have any mental health related questions or need immediate support, please call the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health CARES team which is available 24/7: 734-544-3050.
For #WYK local mental health resources, please visit the Washtenaw County Health Department website.
To become involved with the #WYK campaign or learn more about them, please visit the #WYK website.
September 2021
Written by Guadalupe Cervantes, Community Health Educator with WCHD