The CDC’s Free Mind youth mental health initiative that launched on October 13, 2022, is the first-ever national youth mental health initiative targeting youth (ages 12-17) and their caregivers. Research has proven that substance use and mental health exist on a continuum (one affects the other), therefore the Free Mind program positions youth mental health as the foundation of effective substance use prevention as we continue to see: overdose deaths increase, vaping epidemic grow, and underage alcohol use rise.
The creation of the Free Mind campaign was driven by having conducted direct discussions with teens to gain insight on their perceptions regarding drug use (of many types), stress, and dealing with stress. In addition, the messaging and visuals will not resemble a lecture from adults; instead, they will feel authentic and relatable to teens. As a result, one of the national initiatives of the Free Mind Campaign is to promote honest discussion at home and school, as well as to encourage caregivers to ask questions and listen without judgment, thereby creating a safe environment for teens to share their struggles with caregivers.
In addition to online advertising and creating social media posts, the Free Mind youth mental health campaign provides practical resources, including guides for talking with someone about their mental health, FAQs about mental health, and suggestions for how to recognize signs of mental health issues as distressful situations develop. The campaign links prevention of substance use with mental health support in an effort to demonstrate that many teenagers who use drugs do so as a way to cope with anxiety, trauma, or depression. The Free Mind youth mental health campaign advocates believe that, through this initiative, families will identify at-risk teenagers sooner and successfully connect them with mental health services (e.g., counseling, peer support, crisis intervention services) before adolescents reach the point of being a danger to themselves.
Source: CDC – “CDC Launches New Campaign to Address Youth Substance Use and Mental Health”
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