Children's Mental Health Matters!
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Clara Reynolds, President & CEO
If you’ve read any of these newsletter articles, you know I’m super lucky to have a 16-year-old son, Corey, who is a sophomore at Hillsborough High School. And though I’ve spent most of my career in the children’s mental health arena, I have learned more about this topic interacting with Corey and his peers. To illustrate, I’m going to share a story.
Two years ago, Netflix featured a series called “13 Reasons Why”. As you may recall, it focused on teen suicide, anxiety, depression, sexual assault and other significant teen issues. Being a well-informed and engaged mom, I felt it was my job to talk to Corey about this controversial show and invite him to watch it with me. Gold star moment for me, right??? My awesomeness was blown to hell when he nearly rolled his eyes and informed me that he and many of his friends had watched ALL 13 HOURS of the series during their daily school bus ride home. Not only did I feel like a parental loser, but I learned a very valuable lesson – our children are exposed to much more than we realize!
Read more from Clara by clicking below.
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Finding Support from Peers
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When Siera first called 2-1-1, she was hoping to talk to someone about her mental health issues because she was struggling with thoughts of suicide. The Crisis Center intervention specialist worked with her to create a safety plan and provided her resources for ongoing counseling. Since Siera had disclosed that she was a teen, the specialist also asked her if she’d be interested in receiving a follow up call from Healthy Transitions. Siera agreed.
Read more about Siera's story by clicking below.
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High School Students Host Be the Voice for Hope
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Emily Surak, Plant High School Senior, at Be the Voice for Hope
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Along with a student committee, Plant High School senior Emily Surak hosted her second annual Be the Voice for Hope event, a talent show aimed at raising awareness of suicide prevention resources. The show was put on entirely by students, many of whom wanted to be involved because of their own personal experiences related to mental health.
On Tuesday, April 23
rd, the community gathered in the Plant High auditorium to see the students perform their preferred talents, which included solo and group musical performances, dancing, and stand-up comedy. Donations and raffle ticket purchases were donated back to the Crisis Center to support Suicide Prevention Services. Emily is preparing undergraduates to take over the event to ensure that the show will go on, even after she graduates.
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Crisis Center Named One of Tampa Bay's Top Workplaces
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In order to best serve people in our community who are experiencing crisis and trauma, the Crisis Center needs to ensure that staff and volunteers work in a positive environment that encourages both professional and personal growth. This process is managed by the Crisis Center’s talent management department.
The talent management team recently learned their hard work has paid off when the Crisis Center was named one of area’s Top 100 Workplaces by the Tampa Bay Times for the third year in a row.
To determine the top 100 workplaces, the Tampa Bay Times conducted an anonymous employee survey on numerous factors, including organization alignment, effectiveness, connections, and management that measure how well employees are working together towards a common cause.
To read the Tampa Bay Times’ story, click
HERE.
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Sexual Assault Survivors Take Back the Stage
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As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, our advocates held Take Back the Stage at The Portico in downtown Tampa. This was an empowerment event for survivors of sexual assault. Survivors were invited to attend the event as a guest, or participate as a contributor utilizing any form of art that helped them find healing. There were 14 survivors who performed, with 70 guests in attendance. Thank you to anyone who attended to show their support, and thank you to the survivors who participated in the event.
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Join Us for the 5th Annual Beer and Bow Ties Event!
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Join us on
Friday, September 13th at Armature Works for the 5th annual Beer and Bow Ties event presented by the Spencer Hall Memorial Endowment for Mental Health. The event provides a taste of local foods and breweries, with 100% of the proceeds supporting the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay's suicide prevention services. Tickets can be purchased
HERE.
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4th Annual Speak Up 5k - Run, Walk or Stroll
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Join us on
Saturday, October 19th for the 4th annual Speak Up 5k! This 5k fun run/walk/stroll was created by the CKG Foundation to raise awareness and understanding of teenage depression and anxiety. A portion of the race proceeds are donated to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to support our Gateway Contact Center. Sign up for the race
HERE.
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Take a Tour of the Crisis Center!
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Gateway to Healing Tours
Listen to stories about the people we help. See the facilities where we offer healing to clients. Hear about the urgent needs of the families we serve. Find ways to join us in making a difference in our community.
Thursday, May 23rd
Tuesday, June 18th
12pm-1pm
To learn more and register,
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Thank you Corporate Partners!
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Thank you Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Funders!
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