Getting Started in Your Community: A Blueprint Toward Youth Mental Wellness
The Safe and Humane Schools Task Force of the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice, herein referred to as the Task Force, was re-launched in 2020 to leverage policy, research and practice to address issues within schools that fall at the intersection of behavioral health, social justice, and human rights. It is no coincidence that the Task Force re-launched in 2020, following a return-to-school effort during the COVID-19 pandemic that coalesced with a heightened awareness of the youth mental health crisis. Although schools are and continue to be central for youth well-being, school systems and existing infrastructure are significantly overextended (Allegretto et al., 2022; Bryant et al., 2023; Lin et al., 2024). In the 10 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, youths’ suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness had increased by 40% in the United States (Abrams, 2023). Furthermore, when schools alone are the central provider of mental health services for children and youth, if and when those resources become unavailable – like during the COVID-19 remote-school policies or more recently with the targeted increase of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) presence – youth mental health suffers.
The Development of the Blueprint
Following the re-launch of the Task Force, members identified a need for communities, schools, families, and youth to grapple with how the community can better support its schools and youth.
As the Task Force initiated a multi-year stakeholder engagement process, the Global Alliance similarly hosted a series of events where youth and adult community members discussed topics related to youth mental health, technology and the digital age, and non-traditional stakeholder support for youth wellbeing. These virtual and in-person events culminated in the Task Force’s development of a Blueprint Toward Youth Mental Wellness and accompanying infographic, now available here. Foundationally based on schools as the central core of all communities, the blueprint is distinguishable from existing resources due to its focus on action by all community members to promote youth mental wellness and prevent mental health crises. Additionally, the Blueprint uses a strengths-based approach to highlight the value in engaging traditional and non-traditional stakeholders to advance youth mental wellness. The Blueprint was developed as a tool that individuals, families, organizations, and communities can use to more effectively promote youth well-being and prevent mental health crises. The infographic is a 1- or 2-page overview of the Blueprint with prompts that anyone can use to get started or continue this important work to further existing community infrastructure that extends beyond schools and is spearheaded by individuals across their various contexts and settings.
The Blueprint in Action
As one of the Blueprint authors and Task Force members, when CBP and ICE increased their presence in Charlotte, North Carolina in November 2025, I used this blueprint to identify and act on ways to bolster children’s mental health and help keep them in school. As a community resident without children and no existing connection to my local school district, I started on social media, identifying organizations who were providing resources and training for increasing community safety. In-person trainings led me to additional organizations, one of which virtually shared a resource list. One link, created by a volunteer group of concerned community members, led to a virtual volunteer sign-up system to organize safety patrols outside of schools and along bus routes, ensuring children could get to school safely. I, along with many other volunteers, corresponded anonymously via a secure social media platform, coordinating daily school patrols and fly-bys when alerted of CBP or ICE presence. As CBP and ICE have decreased their presence in Charlotte, the Blueprint questions call on me to reflect and continue to answer, how can I further invest my time and resources to move toward youth mental wellness? As we and our communities continue to face challenges and look for opportunities to advance youth wellbeing, the Blueprint provides a flexible approach grounded in a children’s rights framework and set of principles that can continue to be adapted. As you read the infographic and dive deeper into the Blueprint, we want to hear from you: send us a message. Where are you investing your time and resources and how has the Blueprint informed or shaped your efforts to move towards youth mental wellness?
Honouring Six Years of Task Force Collaboration
With the culmination of the Blueprint Toward Youth Mental Wellness and the easy-to-use infographic for action, the Task Force has achieved the priorities it set out to complete six years prior. As a committee bound by time and driven by actionable goals, releasing these resources signals the end of the Task Force as currently structured. With deep appreciation, we thank the Task Force members for their time and energy over the last six years, as well as for their prior and continued focus on promoting youth well-being and preventing mental health crises. We extend true gratitude to the many others who engaged with the Task Force during their time and whose experiences and perspectives meaningfully informed the development of the Blueprint.
The views expressed in the Community Voices: Community Action Series are those of the author and are not written by the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice.