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Monday, April 29, 2019

Nationwide essay contest challenges high schoolers to be frank about mental health

Multiple winners to be awarded by NIH and the Calvin J. Li Memorial Foundation.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youths aged 15 to 24, yet only about half of young adults with a mental disorder receive treatment. In an effort to address this disparity and further conversations about mental health among high schoolers, the National Institutes of Health invites students ages 16 to 18 years old to participate in the “ Speaking Up About Mental Health! ” essay contest. Essays should explore ways to address the stigma and social barriers that adolescents from racial and ethnic minority populations may face when seeking mental health treatment. The contest is led by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in collaboration with the Calvin J. Li Memorial Foundation , and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). NIMH and NIMHD are components of NIH.

“Teens have important stories to tell about their experiences with mental health treatment, and we hope this contest will give them an opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas. It’s clear we need to work with them to better understand mental health stigma and the barriers they may face when seeking mental health treatment,” said Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIMH.

Ideas for essay topics could include:

• Creative ways to start a conversation about mental health or related stigma
• Innovative approaches to remove, reduce, or lower barriers to mental health treatment
• Suggested changes in school policies or practices that could help reduce stigma
• Other areas of concern to individuals and their communities with respect to mental health

This contest was started as part of the Healthy Mind Initiative , which aims to increase mental health awareness and promote suicide prevention in Asian American and Pacific Islander youth, although the contest is open to all high school youths nationwide. The goal of the initiative is to reach a population that may view mental health care negatively, or may not consider it at all, due to stigma, lack of awareness and education, or differences in cultural conceptualization of mental health.

“Every year millions of Americans struggle with mental illness, which does not discriminate,” said Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D., director of NIMHD. “Severe mental Illness occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and access to treatment is a special challenge for disadvantaged populations.”

Contest rules and prize information:

There is no application fee to participate, and entries should be submitted by May 31, 2019 on Challenge.gov . Winners will be announced on Sept. 30, 2019. The contest is open to all current U.S. or U.S. territory high school students ages 16 to 18 at the time of submission. Some entrants may not be eligible to receive an NIH prize, but may be recognized as a finalist and eligible for a non-NIH cash prize from the Calvin J. Li Memorial Foundation. Prize winners and finalists will have their essays posted on the Healthy Mind Initiative website.

For more information on the rules of the contest and registration requirements see the contest webpage at www.challenge.gov or by contacting [email protected] .

For further information:

Nancy Tian, Ph.D. , LCDR, U.S. Public Health Service

Erin Shannon , NIH

About the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. For more information, visit the NIMH website .

About the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD): NIMHD leads scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities by conducting and supporting research; planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating all minority health and health disparities research at NIH; promoting and supporting the training of a diverse research workforce; translating and disseminating research information; and fostering collaborations and partnerships. For more information, visit the NIMHD website .

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov .

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Speak Up for Mental Health

Essay Contest for Teens Under Way

Know a teen with something to say about mental health? “Speaking Up About Mental Health! This Is My Story,” a national essay challenge cosponsored by NIMHD, NIMH and NICHD, aims to start conversations about mental health and encourage young people to seek help for mental health issues. U.S. high school students ages 16-18 are invited to submit a short essay. 

Topics may include resilience, ending stigma, improving communication among peers and adults and more. Submissions will be accepted through Apr. 30. Winners will be announced in September. Multiple winners will be chosen to receive cash prizes. For details, visit https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/mental-health-essay-contest /.

Mental Health America of the Northern Suburbs

Annual Essay and Multimedia Contest

Since 2003, MHANS has held an annual contest for youth on a topic related to mental health. In 2013, what had been a writing contest became an Essay and Multimedia Contest, as we encouraged youth to use artwork as a way to express themselves. In 2018, we opened the Contest to Middle/Junior School students, who are judged in a separate age category.

Since 2013, we began using what participants told us, analyzing the submissions for common themes and creating anonymized data, which we have subsequently used to create educational programming, brochures, and social media posts – all designed to provide information on what teens think and experience around a variety of topics related to mental health and wellness. The “Teens Speak Out” series, which has expanded into “Teens and Tweens Speak Out” since the Contest began taking admissions from Middle/Junior school students, is now an integral part of our annual community education programming.

2024 Essay and Multimedia Contest

Our Annual Essay and Multimedia Contest is now open for submissions from students 6th-12th grade. Our annual contest is designed to empower youth to share their concerns, ideas, and solutions. Cash prizes up to $500 are available. Submissions must be sent on or before March 15, 2024.

Using the questions below as a prompt, either write an essay or create a piece of artwork.

Prompt: Social Media and Its Impact on Mental Health & Relationships

How has social media affected your mental health? How does social media contribute to or hinder your relationships?

Entries can be submitted in any language !

Essays: Tell a powerful story in 250 to 500 words, using personal experiences.

Art/Videos: Tell a powerful story through original art and include an artist statement. Can be submitted on a poster, digital media, a 1-2 minute video, or any other creative form.

Entry Instructions:

Do not include your name or school on your essay or media. Instead, attach a separate sheet and include your name, email, address, school, grade, and teacher’s name.

Mail submissions to: Mental Health America of the Northern Suburbs, c/o Turning Point, 8324 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL 60077

OR Email to: [email protected]

All personal information is kept confidential. Entries become property of Mental Health America of the Northern Suburbs (MHANS) and may be published with the author’s permission. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges.

Eligibility:

Students submitting essays should be in grades 6 through 12 living going to school in Illinois. Students do not need to be US citizens or have legal status in the US to be eligible to submit essays.

MHANS Essay Contest Winners Ceremony

On April 28th at 2PM at the Morton Grove Public Library in Baxter Auditorium we will be honoring the essay contest winners! If you win, you will be contacted with a formal invitation.

Questions? Email [email protected]

We thank the 2024 Essay and Multimedia Contest Sponsor, Yellowbrick .

2024 WPA Medical Student Essay Competition

Home  / medical students / essay competition 2024.

The World Psychiatry Association (WPA) announces its 2024 Medical Student Essay Competition, a WPA Presidential initiative with the support of the United Nations Secretariat – Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals.

The WPA invites medical students from around the world to write and submit an essay of up to 3000 words on this year’s theme: " Improving Mental Health in the Global World Using the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals ."

For a chance to win the Travel Award to the 24th World Congress of Psychiatry

All Finalists and the full text of their essays will be showcased on the WPA website, spotlighting both the authors and their ideas, and the winning essay will also be translated into all six WHO official languages. The Winner will be acknowledged at the 24th World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP) in Mexico City, will receive a Travel Award to cover his/her costs of WCP travel and accommodation (up to 1500 USD), and will have his/her Congress registration fee waived.

Essay Formatting and Submission Requirements:

Please download and read  about the competition deadlines and the essay formatting and submission requirements.

Submission Deadline and Schedule:

All submissions must be made via the online submission page before midnight on May 15, 2024. We cannot accept any entries received after this date. The Winner will be announced by 30 July, 2024.

Submitting via the form above is the safest way to ensure your essay is received. However, if you are having trouble, please submit all the above requested information and materials to [email protected]  or try again later.

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Manley Highlights Essay Competition for High School Students

State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet , is encouraging local high school students to participate in the Illinois Psychiatric Society’s (ISP) Carl C. Bell Memorial Award Essay Competition.

“The significance of mental health cannot be overstated, especially for high school students,” said Manley. “We need to encourage students to think about mental health issues and include them in conversations about ways to improve mental health services. I would like to thank the Illinois Psychiatric Society for hosting this essay competition and raising awareness for mental health issues.”

The deadline for the admission is June 1, 2024.

The Carl C. Bell Memorial Award Essay Competition is an annual community initiative for all Illinois High School students. The essay topic this year is: “How has social media impacted your mental health and/or the mental health of your social networks, family, schools, and/or communities?” The winner of the competition will receive a $500 cash prize and be published in “Mind Matters,” the official IPS newsletter publication. The second and third-place award recipients will receive $250. For more information or to submit an essay, please visit  illinoispsychiatricsociety.org/carl-c-bell-award .

During her time in the General Assembly, Manley has worked to improve mental health care access in Illinois. She supported legislation requiring insurers to provide coverage for all medically necessary mental health care, including the treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, and substance use disorders. Manley is also on the advisory board of the Will-Grundy affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which provides a variety of mental health services to residents of Will County.

“With over a quarter of adults in Illinois experiencing mental health challenges at some point in their life, it is clear just how important it is that residents are able to get treatment,” said Manley. “While we have made progress over the past few years, there is still more that needs to be done to ensure that everyone has access to care. I look forward to working in Springfield and with partners across the community to meet the mental health care needs of residents.”

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Kuemper Catholic Sophomore Represented The State Of Iowa For The National Knights Of Columbus Essay Competition

• by Abby Ward
• April 17, 2024
• Carroll County , Local News

Picture Courtesy of Glenn Babb, Pictures from L-R: Back row- KCSS 7-12 Principal Ted Garringer, Simon Pietig,Thomas  Pottebaum, Brenden  Vonnahme, Jason Schwarte  Grand Knight, Charles Carroll Knights of Columbus Council #780. Front row- Megan Kies, Regan Garringer

During the national competition held a few weeks ago, a Kuemper Catholic sophomore was selected to represent the State of Iowa for her “Faith In Action” Knights of Columbus essay. Regan Garringer, daughter of Ted and Karen Garringer of Carroll, was chosen from four other Kuemper students recognized by the Knights of Columbus Council #780 for their faith-based essays to move on to the state level for this competition. This year’s topic was: “How Can the Church Evangelize in the Digital Age?” Each student wrote a 500–750-word essay, being judged on grammar, style, and the presentation of the theme while showcasing creativity and imagination throughout the topic. Garringer provided statistics on teen internet and the social media app TikTok usage in her essay. She stated if users would use social media to share “testimonies, the gospel and the goodness of Christ Our Lord,” followers would be “a Catholic by action, instead of being a Catholic by name.” Garringer was selected at the state level from 120 other K of C Council nominees to compete at the national competition. While Garringer was not selected as a winner for the national competition, Grand Knight for the Charles Carroll Knights of Columbus Council #780 Jason Schwarte was extremely proud to have a local student selected to represent Iowa in the first year that this council has offered this opportunity to local students. Jeff Hughes, the English and Speech teacher at KCHS, says, “I am enormously proud of each of these young people and so excited to see them express their ideas, insights, and convictions within these types of essays.” The other four Kuemper Catholic students honored with Garringer are Megan Kies, Simon Pietig, Thomas Pottebaum, and Brenden Vonnahme.

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Mental health care is hard to find, especially for people with Medicare or Medicaid

Rhitu Chatterjee

With rates of suicide and opioid deaths rising in the past decade and children's mental health declared a national emergency , the United States faces an unprecedented mental health crisis. But access to mental health care for a significant portion of Americans — including some of the most vulnerable populations — is extremely limited, according to a new government report released Wednesday.

The report, from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General, finds that Medicare and Medicaid have a dire shortage of mental health care providers.

The report looked at 20 counties with people on Medicaid, traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which together serve more than 130 million enrollees — more than 40% of the U.S. population, says Meridith Seife , the deputy regional inspector general and the lead author of the report.

Medicaid serves people on low incomes, and Medicare is mainly for people 65 years or older and those who are younger with chronic disabilities.

The report found fewer than five active mental health care providers for every 1,000 enrollees. On average, Medicare Advantage has 4.7 providers per 1,000 enrollees, whereas traditional Medicare has 2.9 providers and Medicaid has 3.1 providers for the same number of enrollees. Some counties fare even worse, with not even a single provider for every 1,000 enrollees.

"When you have so few providers available to see this many enrollees, patients start running into significant problems finding care," says Seife.

The findings are especially troubling given the level of need for mental health care in this population, she says.

"On Medicare, you have 1 in 4 Medicare enrollees who are living with a mental illness," she says. "Yet less than half of those people are receiving treatment."

Among people on Medicaid, 1 in 3 have a mental illness, and 1 in 5 have a substance use disorder. "So the need is tremendous."

The results are "scary" but "not very surprising," says Deborah Steinberg , senior health policy attorney at the nonprofit Legal Action Center. "We know that people in Medicare and Medicaid are often underserved populations, and this is especially true for mental health and substance use disorder care."

Among those individuals able to find and connect with a provider, many see their provider several times a year, according to the report. And many have to drive a long way for their appointments.

"We have roughly 1 in 4 patients that had to travel more than an hour to their appointments, and 1 in 10 had to travel more than an hour and a half each way," notes Seife. Some patients traveled two hours each way for mental health care, she says.

Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are chronic conditions that people need ongoing care for, says Steinberg. "And when they have to travel an hour, more than an hour, for an appointment throughout the year, that becomes unreasonable. It becomes untenable."

"We know that behavioral health workforce shortages are widespread," says Heather Saunders , a senior research manager on the Medicaid team at KFF, the health policy research organization. "This is across all payers, all populations, with about half of the U.S. population living in a workforce shortage."

But as the report found, that's not the whole story for Medicare and Medicaid. Only about a third of mental health care providers in the counties studied see Medicare and Medicaid patients. That means a majority of the workforce doesn't participate in these programs.

This has been well documented in Medicaid, notes Saunders. "Only a fraction" of providers in provider directories see Medicaid patients, she says. "And when they do see Medicaid patients, they often only see a few."

Lower reimbursement rates and a high administrative burden prevent more providers from participating in Medicaid and Medicare, the report notes.

"In the Medicare program, they set a physician fee rate," explains Steinberg. "Then for certain providers, which includes clinical social workers, mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, they get reimbursed at 75% of that rate."

Medicaid reimbursements for psychiatric services are even lower when compared with Medicare , says Ellen Weber , senior vice president for health initiatives at the Legal Action Center.

"They're baking in those discriminatory standards when they are setting those rates," says Steinberg.

The new report recommends that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) take steps to increase payments to providers and lower administrative requirements. In a statement, CMS said it has responded to those recommendations within the report.

According to research by Saunders and her colleagues at KFF, many states have already started to take action on these fronts to improve participation in Medicaid.

Several have upped their payments to mental health providers. "But the scale of those increases ranged widely across states," says Saunders, "with some states limiting the increase to one provider type or one type of service, but other states having rate increases that were more across the board."

Some states have also tried to simplify and streamline paperwork, she adds. "Making it less complex, making it easier to understand," says Saunders.

But it's too soon to know whether those efforts have made a significant impact on improving access to providers.

CMS has also taken steps to address provider shortages, says Steinberg.

"CMS has tried to increase some of the reimbursement rates without actually fixing that structural problem," says Steinberg. "Trying to add a little bit here and there, but it's not enough, especially when they're only adding a percent to the total rate. It's a really small increase."

The agency has also started covering treatments and providers it didn't use to cover before.

"In 2020, Medicare started covering opioid treatment programs, which is where a lot of folks can go to get medications for their substance use disorder," says Steinberg.

And starting this year, Medicare also covers "mental health counselors, which includes addiction counselors, as well as marriage and family therapists," she adds.

While noteworthy and important, a lot more needs to be done, says Steinberg. "For example, in the substance use disorder space, a lot of addiction counselors do not have a master's degree. And that's one of their requirements to be a counselor in the Medicare program right now."

Removing those stringent requirements and adding other kinds of providers, like peer support specialists, is key to improving access. And the cost of not accessing care is high, she adds.

"Over the past two decades, [in] the older adult population, the number of overdose deaths has increased fourfold — quadrupled," says Steinberg. "So this is affecting people. It is causing deaths. It is causing people to go to the hospital. It increases [health care] costs."

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Guest Essay

Anxious Parents Are the Ones Who Need Help

By Mathilde Ross

Dr. Ross is a senior staff psychiatrist at Boston University Health Services.

This month, across the country, a new cohort of students is being accepted into colleges. And if recent trends continue, the start of the school year will kick off another record-breaking season for anxiety on campus.

I’m talking about the parents. The kids are mostly fine.

Let me explain. Most emotions, even unpleasant ones, are normal. But the word is out about increasing rates of mental health problems on campus, and that’s got parents worrying. Fair enough. The statistics are startling — in 2022, nearly 14 percent of 18-to-25-year-olds reported having serious thoughts about suicide.

But parents are allowing their anxiety to take over, and it’s not helping anyone, least of all their children. If a child calls home too much, there must be a crisis! And if a child calls too little, there must be a crisis! Either way, the panicked parent picks up the phone and calls the college counseling center to talk to someone like me.

I am a psychiatrist who has worked at a major university’s mental health clinic for 16 years. Much of next year’s freshman class was born the year before I started working here. Technically, my job is to keep my door open and help students through crises, big and small. But I have also developed a comprehensive approach to the assessment and treatment of anxious parents.

The typical call from a parent begins like this: “I think my son/daughter is suffering from anxiety.” My typical reply is: “Anxiety in this setting is usually normal, because major life transitions like living away from home for the first time are commonly associated with elevated anxiety.” Parents used to be satisfied with this kind of answer, thanked me, hung up, called their children and encouraged them to think long-term: “This too shall pass.” And most everyone carried on.

But these days this kind of thinking just convinces parents that I don’t know what I’m talking about. In the circular logic of mental health awareness, a clinician’s reassurance that situational anxiety is most likely normal and time-limited leads a parent to believe that the clinician may be missing a serious mental health condition.

Today’s parents are suffering from anxiety about anxiety, which is actually much more serious than anxiety. It’s self-fulfilling and not easily soothed by logic or evidence, such as the knowledge that most everyone adjusts to college just fine.

Anxiety about anxiety has gotten so bad that some parents actually worry if their student isn’t anxious. This puts a lot of pressure on unanxious students — it creates anxiety about anxiety about anxiety. (This happens all the time. Well-meaning parents tell their kid to make an appointment with our office to make sure their adjustment to college is going OK.) If the student says she’s fine, the parents worry that she isn’t being forthright. This is the conundrum of anxiety about anxiety — there’s really no easy way to combat it.

But I do have some advice for parents. The first thing I’d like to say, and I mean it in the kindest possible way, is: Get a grip.

As for your kids, I would like to help you with some age-appropriate remedies. If your child calls during the first weeks of college feeling anxious, consider saying any of the following: You’ll get through this; this is normal; we’ll laugh about this phone call at Thanksgiving. Or, say anything that was helpful to you the last time you started something new. Alternatively, you could say nothing. Just listening really helps. It’s the entire basis of my profession.

If the anxiety is connected to academic performance — for instance, if your child is having difficulty following the professor and thinks everyone in class is smarter — consider saying, “Do the reading.” Several times a semester, a student I’ve counseled tells me he or she discovered the secret to college: Show up for class prepared! This is often whispered rather sheepishly, even though my office is private.

Anxiety about oral presentations is also quite common. You know what I tell students? “Rehearse your speech.” Parents, you can say things like this, too. Practice it: “Son, you wouldn’t believe how helpful practice is.”

I can prepare you for advanced topics, too. Let’s say your child is exhausted and having trouble waking up for class; he thinks he has a medical problem or maybe a sleep disorder. Consider telling him to go to bed earlier. Common sense is still allowed.

What if a roommate is too loud or too quiet, too messy or too neat? Advise your kid to talk to the roommate, to take the conversation to the problem’s source.

If your child is worrying about something more serious, like failing out of college: This is quite common in the first few weeks on campus. Truth be told, failing all of one’s classes and being expelled as a result, all within the first semester, is essentially impossible and is particularly rare among those students who are worrying about it. The administrative process simply doesn’t happen that fast. Besides, you haven’t paid enough tuition yet.

I’m making my job sound easy, and it’s not. I’m making kids sound simple, and they’re not. They are my life’s work. Some kids walk through my door in serious pain. But most don’t. Most just need a responsible adult to show them the way. And most of what I do can be handled by any adult who has been through a thing or two, which is to say, any parent.

I worry that the current obsession with mental health awareness is disempowering parents from helping their adult children handle ordinary things. People are increasingly fearful that any normal emotion is a sign of something serious. But if you send your adult children to a mental health professional at the first sign of distress, you deprive yourself of the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with them. This is the beginning of their adult relationship with you. Show them the way.

The transition to college is full of excitement and its cousin, anxiety. I enjoy shepherding young people through this rite of passage. Parents should try enjoying it, too.

Mathilde Ross is a senior staff psychiatrist at Boston University Health Services.

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WBZ-TV anchor leaves his dream job, and pens an essay about it

Liam Martin just walked away from his dream job: TV anchor, at WBZ-TV . Not only did he walk away, Martin decided to publish why he did it, with a Boston magazine essay .

In that essay, Martin details his own emotional struggles, not to mention the physical challenge of waking up at 2:15 a.m. for the morning shift. He previously worked an evening shift, but that meant barely seeing his two young children. The move to the morning shift meant he was often too tired to be truly present for them.

So he left the news business completely, joining former NBCUniversal newscaster Jackie Bruno as a partner in her PR and communications business, Newsmaker Marketing , along with third partner Rachel Robbins , formerly with Greenough Communications . (Bruno penned a similarly themed essay for Boston magazine a year ago.)

Martin decided to write it in part because men often don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health issues or the struggles of balancing family and work. The response, he said, has been overwhelming.

He still gets to tell stories, but in a different way. For example, he just spent a day in New Hampshire working on a documentary-style video about Cyclyx , a plastics recycling company.

Martin misses the rush of the newsroom. But he’s also glad to no longer be in it.

“I miss the people at WBZ-TV,” Martin said. “I do not miss having to be in the know all the time about everything.”

This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column, which runs in print every Tuesday.

'America hates me': Simone Biles opens up about the 'twisties' in Tokyo

Simone Biles has said she was scared to return to the U.S. after she pulled out of a gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics while grappling with the "twisties."

Biles, 27 — the most decorated athlete the sport has ever seen, with 37 world and Olympic gold medals — has spoken out about the huge pressure she felt from at home and abroad when she withdrew from the team final at the Games in the summer of 2021.

"America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now," she recalled feeling in an interview with on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, which was provided exclusively to "TODAY." The full podcast is due to be published Wednesday.

Biles stunned millions watching around the world by failing to execute her vault routine and landing awkwardly. She pulled out of the team final and the individual all-round final, sparking a conversation about mental health and the pressures of elite sports.

Biles explained at the time that the “twisties” is when a gymnast loses spatial awareness midair and can’t judge when and where to land.

"So I open landed like that, and as soon as I land, I kind of grin, and I’m like, 'S---,'" she said in the preview clip.

Biles managed to compete in the beam final, taking home the bronze medal — an achievement she rated as her most meaningful in a glittering Olympic career.

"If I could’ve gotten on a plane and flown home, I would’ve done it. I thought I was going to be banned from America, ’cause that’s what they tell you: 'Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back,'" Biles said on the podcast.

It remains unclear whether Biles will compete in the Paris Olympics , which kicks off in the French capital in 100 days .

But Biles has strongly hinted that is her goal.

She told "TODAY" last year: "I would say that’s the path I would love to go, so I wouldn’t mind if you put it in the ‘yay’ section."

Biles ended a two-year break from elite competition last year , coming back to win an eighth individual title in the U.S. before winning a sixth world all-round title a few weeks later.

She is due to compete at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, next month.

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics is on July 26.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

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NIH Announces Winners of High School Mental Health Essay Contest

Speaking Up About Mental Health! essays explored stigma and social barriers in seeking mental health treatment

September 30, 2019 • Press Release

The National Institutes of Health announces 10 winners of the “Speaking Up About Mental Health! This Is My Story” national essay challenge, which was designed to spur conversations among youth about mental health and encourage them to seek support for themselves and others.

“Only about half of young adults with a mental illness receive treatment,” said Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “We issued this essay contest to jump-start a conversation about the impact of mental illness among high school teens, barriers faced when seeking treatment, and innovative approaches to overcome those barriers.”

The NIMH and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), both part of NIH, led the contest in collaboration with the Calvin J. Li Memorial Foundation. A panel of judges from NIMH and NIMHD and the award approving officials selected the winning essays based on their organization, creativity, clarity, and quality of writing. Selected from more than 160 entries from 38 states and Puerto Rico, the essay winners and those receiving honorable mention awards addressed the challenges of stigma, fear, and improving mental health education and treatment, particularly in vulnerable populations. NIH will award cash prizes to the contest winners and certificates to those receiving honorable mention.

Although the contest was open to all high school students nationwide, it started as part of the Healthy Mind Initiative, which aims to increase mental health awareness and promote suicide prevention in Asian American and Pacific Islander youth. The goal of the initiative is to reach a population that may view mental health care negatively, or may not consider it at all, due to stigma, lack of awareness and education, or differences in cultural conceptualization of mental health. The winning and honorable mention essays are available at https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/hmi/winners.html  .

“I found the creative solutions from this diverse group of teens to help raise awareness of mental health challenges that many of our young people encounter to be a reason for optimism that we will reduce the burden of mental illness in the future,” said NIMHD Director Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D. “These essays can motivate all teenagers to address the gaps in mental health care that youth and young adults face, especially those from racial or ethnic minorities, disadvantaged communities, and sexual gender minorities.”

For anyone in crisis and in need of immediate help, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) through https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org   and 1-800-273-8255 is available. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact to the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. Your confidential and toll-free call goes to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network, where trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals. If the situation is potentially life-threatening, callers should dial 911 or go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

About the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): The mission of the NIMH  is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. For more information, visit the NIMH website .

About the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD): NIMHD leads scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities by conducting and supporting research; planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating all minority health and health disparities research at NIH; promoting and supporting the training of a diverse research workforce; translating and disseminating research information; and fostering collaborations and partnerships. For more information, visit the NIMHD website  .

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH) : NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH  and its programs, visit the NIH website  .

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UTA In The News — Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024 contact

Maternal Health

Brandie Green, UTA clinical assistant professor and chair of undergraduate public health, spoke with KERA on the presence of stereotypes and systemic racism in pregnancy care.

Green Innovation

A team of UTA chemists has found a method to sustainably separate, purify and trap ethylene, a chemical used to create everyday items like shopping bags, ChemEurope reports. Methods used to purify gases like ethylene are responsible for nearly 1% of the world’s total carbon emissions.

Drone Competition

The Dallas Express featured UTA’s fourth annual Autonomous Vehicle Competition, where teams from three states tested their drone-building skills.

Mental Fatigue

The Good Men Project ran a piece originally written for The Conversation by Matthew Robison, UTA assistant professor of psychology, on how setting goals can help relieve mental fatigue.

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Speaking Up About Mental Health! This Is My Story

NATIONAL ESSAY CHALLENGE WINNERS

Make it Noteworthy: Let's Have a Discussion Alexis North Carolina

Mental illness is often brought up in school, but never fully discussed. This lack of discussion can create effects that are tragic, and yet it's completely preventable. How will we start the discussion?

Breaching the Stigma: Improving Mental Health Education Amanda Maryland

It should not take a tragedy to prompt community discussions about mental illnesses. By integrating lessons about mental health into curriculums and increasing accessibility to mental health resources, schools can promote a deeper understanding and awareness about this highly stigmatized condition.

Bent Not Broken Anastasia Kentucky

Follow my journey and learn how we can fight the national crisis of childhood trauma. Learn how our schools can help those of us who are “bent, not broken.”

Improving the Treatment of Mental Illness in the Black Community Andrew Maryland

How can mental health treatment be improved in the Black community? In my essay, I describe the relationship between mental health services and underprivileged areas, discuss barriers preventing individuals from receiving treatment, and detail methods to better target treatment through community outreach and government action.

Vitalis Jasmine Colorado

I share a piece of my story — my struggles, my frustrations, my mental health — in hopes of illuminating that mental health affects all, regardless of race, age, location, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, political views, and religious beliefs. I share some of my ideas in hopes of breaking the stigma, opening up conversation, inspiring initiatives to promote mental health awareness and acceptance, and ultimately, motivating at least one more person to unite in this fight.

Now I Understand Jayvion North Carolina

My essay, "Now I Understand" is about realizing what my mental health diagnosis meant and how many people in the world have the same struggles as I do. My essay led to the development of a mental health awareness survey and self-inventory checklist to be used within the juvenile justice centers in North Carolina to highlight the connection between mental health issues and juvenile offender activity.

Break the Stigma! Kaylee Virginia

High schools have an alarming lack of mental health resources despite the fact that 20% of students will have a severe mental illness while in high school. A student tackled this issue by educating peers and teachers in her area about the dangers of mental health.

Rising Up: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Suffering in Silence Lili Maryland

When it comes to mental health, students suffer in silence for a multitude of reasons, whether it be the stigma or the lack of knowledge of this complex and vague topic at an appropriate age. To combat this issue, Rising Up was uniquely created to foster important conversations about mental health between middle school students as they navigate the difficulties and challenges that come with growing up.

No More Silence Lydia Virginia

Moved by issues of mental illness that have impacted my Korean-American community and public high school, I sought to take action. Though my experiences and the lessons learned along the way, I share what's worked for me to help others spread mental health awareness in their own communities.

Find Your Center Sahithi California

Challenges to youth mental health care include cost, stigma, and the lack of early intervention services. Creating a national network of free, youth-led mental health centers based in local communities would address these barriers to encourage help-seeking behaviors among young people.

Pushing Through Fear Morgan Kentucky

Eight-year-old Morgan Guess was diagnosed as clinically depressed after a bullying experience at school. Instead of blaming others or ignoring what happened to her, she chose to tell her story and pushed through her own fears to find a way to help other kids get the mental health services they need.

Peer Programs: A Solution for Youth by Youth Samskruthi California

In our current mental health system, youth often experience a lack of accessibility to mental health care, with stigma and confusion that make the process of getting help more difficult than it should be. Implementing peer programs in schools would reach youth widely, increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, provide peer support, and encourage youth to seek help.

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Program Contacts

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Nancy Tian, Ph.D., LCDR, US Public Health Service U.S. Food and Drug Administration [email protected]

Zieta Charles National Institute of Mental Health, NIH [email protected]

Rina Das, Ph.D. National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH [email protected]

Nationwide essay contest challenges high schoolers to be frank about mental health

NIH announces winners of high school mental health essay contest

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