Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | Healing For Our Future: Building A System of Care Based Model of Comprehensive Youth Mental Health and Well-Being in Memphis |
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| Contribution code | D3.168 |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
The population of Memphis includes 25% of its residents under the age of 18 and 10% classified as transitional age youth (ages 18-25). Despite this youthful demographic, the region faces profound and long-standing mental health inequities. Current data highlights significant mental health disparities among children in Memphis. Mental health and trauma-related challenges are notably prevalent, with 14% of youth experiencing frequent emotional distress. These disparities underscore the critical need for targeted, community-driven mental health interventions. The approach designed by UTHSC Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being (CYAW) aims to provide comprehensive care that not only addresses immediate needs but also fosters long-term well-being. In the ten years since its founding, CYAW has built critical collaborative relationships with non-profit, faith and community-based organizations, and government entities to address these pressing mental health needs and hosted the most recent System of Care project in collaboration with the largest Comprehensive Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in west Tennessee and County government. The presenters are all clinicians or administrators working in some capacity with the CCBHC, which will launch the region’s first Children’s Crisis Center in Memphis in 2026. This presentation will provide background on the strategic framework and advocacy efforts leading up to this initiative, particularly through collaborations with the Tennessee state department of mental health, local government, and numerous local community organizations, to illustrate the journey from the successful implementation of the two prior SAMHSA-funded System of Care projects (2010-2017 and 2019-2023) to the current implementation of a System of Care (SOC) model being designed to provide children’s mental health services in Memphis. This youth-centered model is designed to keep families at the core, nurturing connections with natural community supports. Attendees will gain insights into the next decade of planning for Memphis’ model for comprehensive youth mental health and well-being, which can serve as a scalable and replicable solution for other communities across the nation, especially for Black youth at risk of out-of-home placements and involvement in the juvenile justice system. |