September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. For more than two years, we’ve seen study after study proving the declining mental health of kids and teens. There has also been an uptick in crisis calls received by Youth Villages across the state of Tennessee.
Meet Keshawna, a bright, intelligent, independent college freshman ready to take on the world. Looking at her, you would think her life was picture perfect, but it wasn’t.
As children head back into the classroom, it’s important that Youth Villages equips the communities we serve with information that can help kids, and their families, have a successful school year. According to the CDC: 1 in 6 children in school have one or more mental impairments.
Moving to a college can be an exciting yet anxious experience for many young people. For those aging out of foster care, applying to and even getting enrolled in a college can be a monumental task. That’s where LifeSet comes in.
In high school, 17-year-old Lexi struggled with disordered eating. Her anorexia led to body-image issues, suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors. She was in a residential facility to receive treatment for her anorexia
At times, the hurt is too unbearable to return. When ties are cut, it can affect more than immediate family. It can reverberate through the community and sever bonds with friends, acquaintances and extended relatives. For Clarita, the pattern of hurt took a turn for the worse when she was 8 years old.
For many college students, the campus becomes like home. For LifeSet participant Zephaniah, college is literally providing him a home.
A new mental health service is expanding in Eastern North Carolina. The program is part of Youth Villages, a private non-profit group that helps children and families.
James Kirkwood grew up wanting to be a pastor – and a police officer. He did both. Kirkwood served for more than 30 years with the Memphis Police Department, rising to the rank of colonel, leading two of the city’s police precincts.
Nineteen-year-old Trinity has learned many life skills through the Youth Villages LifeSet program, which serves as a bridge from foster care to successful adulthood and helps young adults build the skills they need to live independently and successfully.