When strong safety Tony Jefferson takes to the field December 10 for the Baltimore Ravens against the Pittsburgh Steelers (in the nationally televised NBC Sunday Night Football game, 7:00 p.m. Central Time), DBSA will be right there with him. Tony will wear specially designed shoes inspired by his commitment to support individuals living with depression and bipolar disorder. These shoes will later be auctioned off by the NFL Foundation, with all of the proceeds going to DBSA. Last year Tony’s cleats raised $305 for DBSA, but this year will be even better thanks to volunteer supporters from DBSA.

Originally hailing from the San Diego, California area, Tony has a lifelong commitment to raise awareness about mental health stigma. Having learned this from family members facing mental health challenges, he now lends his strength and his very fast feet to help DBSA capture national attention during one of the most important games of the NFL season. You can help Tony and DBSA by going to Twitter and Facebook, then posting your comments in support of his #MyCauseMyCleats campaign and cheering him along. Show Tony how much we appreciate having him as a part of the DBSA family.

Mark your calendars for a Mental Wellness Information Fair followed by an event focused on how parents and other caring adults can help support our young people’s mental wellness.

The event is part of Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness Tour – a series of activations, youth-led service events, and community gatherings that are organized to coincide with Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour.

Attendees will be eligible to win a pair of tickets to Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour concert on Wednesday, November 15th at the Sprint Center in KC.

Please read the BTW FLYER 102517 for more details!

In the wake of the tragedy in Las Vegas earlier this week, it is important to think about how to help all the victims – those with and those without visible wounds. Post-traumatic stress disorder effects approximately 44.7 million people. There are different types of treatments available for PTSD including medication, cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and EMDR. Currently in Las Vegas a temporary crisis center has been opened up to victims, family members, and anyone else impacted by recent events. This push for immediate support is called “psychological first aid”, and it is becoming the new response. Read more about what is being done to help victims with PTSD in Las Vegas in CNBC’s article The rush to help PTSD victims in aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting.

Tri-County Mental Health Services will host a Youth Mental Health First Aid class, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 29.

The eight-hour program teaches participants how to provide initial help to young people experiencing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorders.

The training is excellent for anyone who has direct contact with youth, including coaches, faith communities, parents, police officers and other emergency responders. Topics include signs and symptoms of the most common mental health disorders among youth, preparation for appropriate reaction when a young person is experiencing a mental health crisis and more.

The program will be held in the second floor conference room of the Northland Human Services Building, 3100 NE 83^rd Street, Kansas City. Thanks to sponsorship by Missouri’s Department of Mental Health, the program is free and includes lunch.

The program is limited to 24 people and an earlier class filled quickly. To register, contact Kelsey Prather, you suicide prevention specialist, at 816.877.0496 or at [email protected]. This flyer also provides more information.

When we think of seasonal affective disorder we often associate it with winter, but it can also happen in the summer. For some, summer SAD happens every year at any point of the summer months. For others, like myself, it’s directly related to extreme temperatures. The sun may be out and it looks great outside, but if it’s too hot to do anything, it will only make my mood worse. I also tend to isolate in the comfort of my air conditioning, not wanting to go outside, which drives my depression and anxiety levels. Maybe you are still going outdoors and feeling depressed. Did you know that even mild dehydration can increase depression? If any of that sounds familiar to you, maybe these 10 Summer Depression Busters is just what you need too!  

Change is a terrifying thing for everyone, especially those of us with mood disorders. Tonight is our first time meeting in our new location, and it came with a slew of changes. My fear of making all these changes led me to look for some ways to cope. I found this article for 7 tips on How To Deal With Change.

If you struggled to make it to group, maybe some of these tips can help you make it next week! 

Nearly one-fourth of all teens will experience depression before adulthood. However, only about 30 percent of those are receiving the help they need. This is especially alarming, since suicide is closely related to depression and is the third-leading cause of death in individuals from ages 15 to 24. In fact, every 100 minutes, a teenager will take his or her life.

Read the full article from The Treatment Center here.

For more information on The Treatment Center, please visit their website.