Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan & Terryberry Partner Webinar – Mental Health & Youth – Building Resiliency vs Recovery
Webinar09/04 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
U.S. teens are experiencing a mental health crisis. Asked about their experiences in the three months prior to the survey, 60% reported experiencing depression, 66% reported high anxiety, 75% reported feelings of loneliness, and 35% reported having had suicidal thoughts, according to the Global Youth Culture study (AFSP, 2024). These illnesses and other risk factors put kids at risk for suicide – in 2022, suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34 (MAMH.org, 2024).
The be nice. initiative encourages the understanding that organizations and communities at large hold responsibility to take the mental health of all of our members seriously. In this course, we will concentrate on the intricacies of using the be nice. Action plan for individuals up to 25 years of age.
This course is for everyone, whether they support a young person as a family member or are a business leader or HR professional looking to support individuals who have families with young people.
Our evidence-based research supports our observations that be nice. improves factors that support good mental health in communities, at organizations, within families and individuals. Engage in this course to learn a simple tool to gain knowledge, confidence, and take action when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will understand that youth mental health and illness is a community conversation.
- Participants will be able to identify when to have conversations about typical changes in adolescent development and changes that could be mental health challenges.
- Participants will learn a 4-step action plan for identifying changes in mental health, seeking help, and building resilience with young people in the workplace.
- Participants will understand how be nice. can positively affect a young persons’ community climate at large in school, the workplace and beyond.
Presenters
Christy Buck
Executive Director
Founder of be nice.
With more than 36 years of experience in the mental health field, Christy’s passion for transforming and saving lives through mental health education led her to develop two mental health and suicide prevention programs – be nice. and be nice. extension (formerly Live Laugh Love).
Since 2006, she and her staff have passionately presented to over 300,000 people in West Michigan on mental health awareness, bullying, and suicide prevention. She has been the keynote speaker at many events and regularly delivers speaking engagements to community and business groups on mental health awareness.
Christy’s determination to make mental health a part of the conversation has led to her involvement with numerous community organizations and coalitions along with becoming a certified instructor for QPR and Mental Health First Aid, for which she has been recognized as one of the Top 100 instructors in the country.
Christy has been awarded wonderful honors for her work including the American Red Cross Hometown Hero Award, 50 Most Influential Women In West Michigan, Daughters of the American Revolution Women In History Award, and most recently awarded the Legacy of Brilliance Award.
Of all of her accomplishments, her family brings her the most joy. She earned the title of yiayia two years ago and now has three beautiful grandchildren, and is the proud mom of Demetrios, Katerina, and Isabella with her hubby Tim.
Christy protects her mental health by dominating in trivia every Wednesday night with her friends and spending time at her second home in Manistee, Michigan. She is a proud graduate of Michigan State University (Go Green!) and is a devoted member of the Greek Orthodox Church. email: christybuck@benice.org
Cat Lanting
Program Director
be nice.
Catherine (Cat) started at the Foundation as an AmeriCorps member in 2011. With her passion for the be nice. action plan, and belief that four simple steps can change someone’s hour, their day, and/or their life, she has stepped into the role of Program Director.
Seeing its potential and setting goals for be nice. programming to be accessible to any individual is her priority, but instructing all of the MHF’s offered programs (including the be nice. action plan to kindergartners through senior citizens, be nice. extension, Mental Health First Aid, and QPR) is still where she finds much joy.
Cat is a native Grand Rapidian who graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies – Health Studies and is so excited to be educating young people and the community about a topic that she needed information about in her own youth.
She currently resides on the lakeshore, and in her free time, Cat skis, feeds chickens, races sailboats, and hikes the North Country Trail with her family and 3 canines to protect her mental health. email: catlanting@benice.org
Qualifies for HRCI and SHRM recertification credits.
