Community Partner Highlight: Mental Health Toolkits for High School Students

Promoting mental health is a priority for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) given the alarming statistics in our state. We know that youth in particular are facing challenges:

• The most recent Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which reached AZ high schoolers, found that 40% of those surveyed felt their mental health was not good.
• The survey also indicated that a quarter of adolescents in Arizona have thought about taking their lives.

AZ Blue partners with and funds organizations coming up with solutions and implementing programs to improve mental health in kids and teens. One program we supported is Arizona State University (ASU) Foundation for A New American University’s High School Mental Health Toolkit initiative.

The project

• ASU is partnering with several high school districts including Chandler Unified, Tempe Union, Tolleson Union, and Phoenix Union.
• ASU distributes its Mental Health Toolkit which includes strategies for schools to use and design their own peer-based initiatives, programs, and efforts.
• The materials in the Toolkit were crafted by ASU’s Devils 4 Devils student organization to empower high school students in driving forward mental health initiatives in their schools and communities.
• ASU students mentor high school students to help foster a safe and caring school environment.

The Roadmap for Impact

The Toolkit engages students in developing a peer-based plan for mental health skill-building and reducing stigma. The plan is called the Roadmap for Impact, and it’s one of the many strategies in the toolkit that puts students in the driver seat of creating their own plan of action. Think of it as a student-friendly strategic plan.

Example of a Roadmap for Impact at a local high school:

• Mission: Changing and improving campus culture and life
• Goal: Expand knowledge about mental health promotion into school communities
• Plan example: Creating monthly calendars to encourage mental health discussions. One local school started a New Year – New Start campaign in January to promote individuality, distributed Valentine's grams in February to inspire connection, launched a Be Safe Out There campaign to promote safe and healthy choices during spring break, is now focusing on self-care during testing season in April, and will then shift gears to a Summer Kick Off campaign for staying connected and reducing loneliness.

Stigma reduction

Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health is a big part of the Toolkit. It’s important for teens to feel like they can open up, not only with adults and professionals but also with their classmates.

“Life can be tumultuous, especially for high schoolers grappling with the complexities of adolescence. But not every challenge faced by these young individuals requires the guidance of an adult. Sometimes, it's the comfort in knowing that you have an understanding and helpful peer that you can turn to. We understand that not every student finds their way to the counselor's office or seeks out formal resources. Instead, many turn to the familiar faces of their classmates, finding support and understanding in the shared journey of life’s challenges. Understanding this dynamic, ASU sought to cultivate a sustainable and scalable framework for peer-based support for schools to use through the use of the Mental Health Toolkit.” – Carrie Monica, Associate Director, ASU K-12 Student Wellbeing

In total through this project, more than 11,300 students have been trained to help their schools and peers address mental health in high schools.

AZ Blue is proud to support a project that aligns with our Stigma-Free AZ initiative. Let’s break the stigma that often makes people feel shame and prevents them from getting the help they need. You can help make a difference, take the pledge today: azblue.com/stigmafreeaz.