In this episode of Caregiver Conversations, host Kristie King is joined by Kea Norrell-Aitch, a licensed professional counselor and youth mental health advocate. Kia shares her insights from over two decades of work with adolescents and families, offering a deep dive into the mental health challenges today’s teens face, especially from stress and anxiety to social isolation and trauma. Through her work with the 4-H Healthy Living Program at MSU Extension, Kia highlights the importance of early intervention, trauma-informed education, and caregiver awareness. This powerful conversation explores how caregivers and communities can better support young people and break generational cycles of stress and silence.
Guest: Kea Norrell-Aitch, LPC
Hosted by: Kristie King, Executive Director, Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative
Topics Covered:
Resources Mentioned:
MSU Extension: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/
Contact Kea: kea@msu.edu
Caregiver support: www.semisrc.org | info@miseniors.org | 888-341-8593
Kristie: [00:00:00] Welcome back to Caregiver Conversations where we explore the real stories, challenges, and solutions that matter most to caregivers. I'm your host today, Kristie King, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative. Today we have a special guest, Norrell-Aitch, to discuss caregiving for vulnerable teens and adolescents and mental health crisis.
Kea is a licensed professional counselor with 20 plus years of experience in youth development working with adolescents and parents. She utilizes a trauma-informed approach that provides a safe environment for individuals and families to explore and process life experiences. Kea leads a four H Healthy Living team at Michigan State University.
Extension that focuses on the physical and mental health of youth and the adolescents who care for them. I wanna say welcome Kea to the show. Welcome. I am looking forward to this conversation with you today to learn more about what you've been up to, 'cause I know what you used to be up to. So just to know a little bit more [00:01:00] about what you've been up to.
Welcome Miss Kea.
Kea: Thank you so much.
Kristie: So just to start off, you know, we've heard a lot about four H living programs over, over the years. I know I have. So can you talk a little bit about what you do and what you do as part of the part of the team?
Kea: Sure. Um, so four H has been around for. At least a hundred years, and it has evolved over the years.
Um, many people relate four H to raising animals and the county fair. Um, but, and it's evolving. Over the years, we've been able to, um, enhance the four H Healthy Living Program, which, um, increases the physical and mental health of young people.
Kristie: So what got you here? What fueled your passion around this work?
Kea: I love that question. Helping people. I've always been an helper since I was a child, and I had to figure out what kind of career, what support [00:02:00] that, that mentality. So I have a helper spirit, and then I love mental health. So those two peer together allow me to outlive my passion at work. What keeps
Kristie: you excited?
Kea: Helping the young people. Mm. And seeing them flourish, um, with more skills and more information.
Kristie: That's all right. So when you talk about the youth and you talk about your engagement with them, what is Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid and how is it utilized in schools? Because I've heard of Mental Health First Aid, but how is that different for teens and youth?
Kea: Yes. So, um, youth Mental Health First Aid is actually for the adults that care for youth. And so, um, that training is focused on, um, teachers, administrators, social workers, counselors, and it, uh, gives individuals skills to better support young people and their mental health journey and to know how to respond to crisis situations when they arise.
Kristie: Okay. So how does that look for you [00:03:00] every day in these trainings?
Kea: It looks different with each training. It depends on the group. It depends on, uh, the location. It depends on whether it's in person or virtual. Um, it's e each training is different, but each training is great. Um, and then, um, again, working with adults who I.
Have a passion in, in supporting young people, and the aha moments are amazing when, when people kind of make the connection and say, okay, I've, I've seen challenges, I've seen crisis situations, but now I have the tools to know what to do when they arise.
Kristie: So what does the statistics look about? How widespread mental health challenges are for youth in Michigan today?
We hear a lot of things. We hear about how those statistics are growing, how we have a number of youth that, especially since Covid, yes, that we've seen an increase, but what are the actual numbers around that?
Kea: That's a good question. So, um, in general, like nationally, we see one in five [00:04:00] youth dealing with a mental health crisis.
And I try to make that a visual for people because you see, or you hear one in five, but then if you think about a classroom or a group of 25 or 30 youth and you have five or six of them, um, stand up or sit down mm-hmm. That makes it more prevalent. That makes it more of a visual to know that this is not just.
Other kids or a small group of kids. Mm-hmm. This, this is, is a large, um, portion of the young people that we work with. Um, and then within Michigan, um, more so Detroit, uh, we see higher numbers. Um, unfortunately because there are more risk factors and, and more, um, challenges, um, dealing with, uh, various things such as, um, social economic status or, um, additional trauma.
Which is a huge component, um, to determine a mental health status of, of young people and adults. So we see that rising more. Um, [00:05:00] recent stats that I, I saw were in Detroit, that, um, 56% of students report anxious feelings on a daily basis. Wow. And I just let that sit for a minute. Yeah. 56%. Wow. That's more than half.
I can't imagine, um, living with that every day. And then also, um, depressed feelings. Um, 62% of Detroit students reporting depressed feelings on a, on a regular basis.
Kristie: I think the first thing that came to mind for me was if 56% of the students that's in Detroit was just using those numbers, imagine what the real numbers are.
Yes,
Kea: absolutely.
Kristie: And then imagine what the parents. Or that caregiver that's taking care of them Correct. Is dealing with imagine their anxiety and depression as well.
Correct.
Kristie: So it's, it's really, when I think of it, I think of it as a a, a cycle. Mm-hmm. It's just, and hopefully through your training, you're looking at how do we break those cycles?
Yes. As [00:06:00] we move forward. But what kind of, when we think about those statistics and we think about the issues that impact the students and the families themselves, what kinds of mental health challenges. Are these teens experiencing today? Do you have any examples of what that could look like?
Kea: Yes, absolutely.
Um, so as I mentioned, um, anxiety and depression are the, the highest ones. Um, but we also don't consider how stress impacts young people. Um, and then how stress, if it turns into, or, or, or continues that can evolve into chronic stress. And then how chronic stress can then, um, show up as a mental health challenge.
So I would start with stress. You know, just acknowledging how stress affects us Yeah. And, and the things that stress us and, and starting at that point. Um, and, and trying to be as proactive as possible because if we can work to decrease stress, then we can work to. Not allow some stress to turn into mental health challenges.
Kristie: What does stress look like for our teens and, and, and [00:07:00] youth, because mm-hmm. I know for me, stress is paying bills, stress is dealing with adult children. Stress is gonna work every day. Yes. What does that look like for a teen?
Kea: Yes. Stress looks like social interactions.
Kristie: Mm-hmm.
Kea: You mentioned covid and mm-hmm.
And we know that, that, um, times in covid caused so much, uh, delay, delay academically, um, but also delay socially. So, um, our, our young people are so far behind socially due to, um, being in the, in the house during Covid times. Um, so that looks like isolation and not being able to connect with people socially and preferring to not connect socially.
And then taking it a step further when you have to connect socially experiencing anxiety. So that's a stressor right there. Um. Unfortunately, bullying continues to be a stressor. And, um, again, just, just life challenges, whether it's it's financial, not [00:08:00] having, um, certain clothes mm-hmm. Or, or, you know, being able to show up in a, in a way that is acceptable to your peers.
Because of financial challenges, um, that causes stress in youth. Um, also pressure, just, just pressure academically. Um, sometimes parents and caregivers don't realize the pressure Yeah. That they can put on their youth to get certain grades or prepare for college or, um, even working. Um, some of our teens have to work to contribute to the household.
Mm-hmm. And that, that causes a lot of pressure. So those are some stressors that we see in young people.
Kristie: Do you ever get, uh, teens that talk about just hearing the news? And everything that's going on. Is that a, a major stressor? Stressor as well, or is that they, um, don't think as much about that as they do about, um, going to school every day mm-hmm.
Or, or, um, interacting [00:09:00] with their peers. Mm-hmm. Do they ever talk about, um, society, because it's a lot going on right now. Yeah. I mean, let's, let's make sure we bring that into the room. Mm-hmm. And that, that, I'm just thinking that that could be a stressor.
Kea: It can, I would say that it's probably more so, um, depending on the culture.
Kristie: Mm.
Kea: Um, the culture definitely has an impact, um, because if, uh, a young person has a family member or you know, loved ones that are. Back home, wherever that is. Um, that can cause some major concerns if there are horrible things going on. Yeah. I get, we get it out here in podcast land. We definitely know. Yes.
Um, so yeah, I would, I would say that that's subjective, subjected, um. Or suggestible de depending on the culture. Um, but then I would say, like you said, with it being a cycle that might affect the parents more [00:10:00] than the young people feel. Mm-hmm. The, the stress and, and the challenges from parents experiencing that.
Kristie: What are some of those symptoms that caregivers or the parents should be looking out for with their teens? Mm-hmm.
Kea: So, um, that's something that we work a lot with, um, with parents and caregivers, helping them understand that. Sometimes the symptoms that you see do not appear to be what they truly are.
Mm-hmm.
Kea: So I've worked with a lot of parents who say my child is lazy, and they don't clean up their room, or they don't do their chores and things like that. And then I say, okay, well let's explore why they don't. Mm-hmm. You know, uh, are they experiencing depression? Are they experiencing low motivation?
Mm-hmm.
Kea: Are they, um, feeling overwhelmed, which does not allow for them to do complete those tasks. Um, so that's one thing I would not move forward, like just rapidly and saying, okay, you're just lazy, or you're just [00:11:00] not doing your chores. Mm-hmm. Let's explore that more. Another one that comes up often is, um.
Missing school and, and not wanting to go to school. Mm-hmm. And, and wanting to, um, encourage parents and caregivers to take a look at the why. Um, is it truly a stomach ache? Or could that stomach ache be a symptom of anxiety? Mm-hmm. Is it truly a headache or is that a symptom of stress? You know, is it truly, um.
I can't go to school today, or is it, I didn't study for that test. Mm-hmm. Which is making me feel more pressure and stress. Mm-hmm. That I might not get that a plus. Mm-hmm. That I'm striving for. And that's the expectation of my parent.
Kristie: Yeah. The pressure of it. Mm-hmm.
Kea: The pressure of
Kristie: it all. And what are the steps to identifying and understanding and responding to mental health crisis or challenges or these, or the symptoms that you mentioned?
Kea: Mm-hmm. Um. I would encourage parents and [00:12:00] caregivers too. Just take a step back and remember what it's like to be a teenager. We start there often. That's always a good thing to step back because sometimes we forget. Yeah. We forget what it feels like to be 14 or 15, so that's. That's a first step. Yeah.
Remembering what kind of things were you experiencing, what kind of things were you dealing with? How did it feel when your parents did mm-hmm. Certain things or didn't do certain things. So that's a first step. Um, a second step is, is being authentic.
Mm-hmm.
Kea: I think sometimes parents feel like they have to be a super parent.
Mm-hmm. Or they have to be a parent that knows everything and that they cannot, um, show fault or, or apologize when they make a, um, mistake.
Kristie: Just be,
Kea: just be. Yes. Um. Again, I just think parents, they, they, I mean, I'm a parent as well and sometimes we think we just have to do it all. Mm-hmm. But we don't. Mm-hmm.[00:13:00]
Mm-hmm. You know, we can talk to our kids about, I struggle with this too. Yeah. Or maybe it's not the same struggle. Maybe it's something else. I, I tell my son, um, this is, I'm gonna share, but it's not something I'm very proud of. Um, he was having a difficult time in, in math class, and I said it, it's not the end of the world.
Mm-hmm. Like, we're gonna get you a tutor, we're gonna try to work through this. Um, but I failed chemistry in high school.
Kristie: Yeah, I was on cast tech based.
Kea: Yes. And I'm right here, right now. I, I, I, it moves on. I survived. Yeah. I survived. I, I went to summer school and I survived. So I've gotten more comfortable with telling that story.
It was something I was ashamed of for a long time. Yeah. But now it's like I'm human and, and I have to show up in that way. Mm-hmm. To let him know that we all have strengths, we all have areas that we wanna work on, but. If you don't do well in a class, it's not the end of the world. And I think that's what some young [00:14:00] people have the thought of.
If I fail or if I fall, then I can't get up. Mm-hmm. Or I can't move forward. Mm-hmm. And unfortunately, sometimes that's when suicidal ideation comes in as well, when they don't meet. Mm-hmm. Those standards. So they don't meet those milestones and they think that. There's no movie. There's no way out. There's no way out.
Kristie: And I know that teens and adolescents, they're dealing with so many other things. You know, we didn't have social media. Mm-hmm. You know, our social media was literally the telephone. Yeah. Literally the telephone. The house. House phone. The house phone. That was social media. And so just thinking about, even as a parent, thinking through how that experience is gonna be different.
For our teen and our adolescents. And I don't know, you know, my, my, my kids are adults, but I'm even thinking when they were teens, just thinking through, you know, we didn't have phones like that. Mm-hmm. They had a [00:15:00] phone, but it wasn't right here. It wasn't in their hands. It wasn't always there with them.
And even now when I'm in their presence and they have the phone, I was like, put the phone down. Yes. You know, it, it's being conscious of that. As you continue to move forward mm-hmm. Teens, adolescents, as they continue to move into, um, I would say older teens. Mm-hmm. Young adults, um, but also still being aware and being authentic.
And I really, I really, I. Appreciate that part about being authentic as a parent and being transparent as a parent. Mm-hmm. Because I think that's where the difference is often made as well.
Yes.
Kristie: And being able to have those conversations. And as we're moving through that and those thoughts, um, how can caregivers, how can their care caregivers making make sure that we're not missing the signs.
Mm-hmm. You know, we can see these things, but as you said, you know, making sure what is that stomach ache really related to? Mm-hmm. How can we make sure that we're not missing those signs?
Kea: Um, that's a, that's a good question and, and something to consider. Um, because as I [00:16:00] was preparing for today, I ran across some interesting information that said 90% of caregivers view their child's mental health as good.
Hmm.
Kea: 90%. Wow. So that's very close to all.
Kristie: Wow.
Kea: And then we just heard those statistics of what they actually look like. We're
Kristie: missing it
Kea: Exactly. We, what they actually look like are more, like 40 to 50% of young people are experiencing mental health challenges. Wow. And their caregivers are, are thinking everything is great.
Wow. Wow.
Kea: So, so there is a disconnect there. Wow. Um, and, and you mentioned being present, not just the young people being present, but the parents being present. Yep. Yep. We need to start there. How much are we connecting with our youth? Mm-hmm. How much are we asking questions? How much are we communicating?
Mm-hmm. And like you said, putting the phone down and having them communicate back. Mm-hmm. Because us as [00:17:00] parents, we can communicate all day. True. We
Kristie: communicate
Kea: all day. We
Kristie: do. I'm gonna be on the phone with my cousin and my sisters and all of that, but how am I communicating with my kids?
Kea: Yes. And how are we communicating to a place where they are receptive to what we're saying?
They're open to what we're saying and then they respond.
Kristie: So we're not talking at them.
Kea: Exactly. We're, we're having that authentic connection. Mm-hmm. And communicating and, and asking them open-ended questions. Mm. And then waiting for a response. And then hearing. Mm-hmm. Actually hearing the response, not dismissing them.
Mm-hmm. Not saying that's not how you feel. Right. That's not how it is. That's not what it's, yeah. Actually hearing them, because if you dismiss them and you don't listen, they'll, they'll stop talking. They'll stop
Kristie: talking. Do you find parents being open to these [00:18:00] suggestions as. You know, you know, I think about, you know, my, my parents are older, 75 plus, and I'm just thinking about kids stay in the kids' spot.
Mm-hmm.
Kristie: You know, we don't, we didn't have these necessary Yes. Necessarily have these type of conversations. Do you find parents are more responsive to these ideas and these suggestions about authenticity and transparency and listening in a different way and being open to having that communication with their children?
Do you find when you're in your sessions that parents are more open? Are there more questions?
Kea: They're more open after a crisis. Interesting. So, yeah, we have to, we have to be more proactive. Yeah. Yeah. Um, unfortunately, they're, they're more open after that young person has experienced a mental health challenge or they're seeking mental health.
Um, professional help. Not necessarily before. Yeah. Now that's not everyone, but Right. But that is pretty much what the, the trend is right now, because everything
Kristie: was [00:19:00] okay.
Kea: Mm-hmm.
Kristie: They were okay. Yeah. They were just in their room every single day with the lights off and they weren't checking in on it, and they were, and they was checking to see what's going on.
Interesting. Or how
Kea: they're feeling.
Kristie: Interesting. So. How can I, I guess one of the things for me is I'm thinking about caregivers and organizations getting involved with four H, but at the same time I'm thinking about how does four H get the word out to parental groups, to schools? You know, I don't see a billboard talking about trauma informed care for teens and adolescents.
So how, how do you guys get that word out to know, you know, how can, how can caregivers and organizations become involved?
Kea: We do things like this that works. Uhhuh? Yes. But we have a lot of partnerships. Um, we have a lot of partnerships with other youth serving organizations. Mm-hmm. Um, we work with, um, communities and Schools.
We work with Boys and Girls Clubs. We work with other nonprofit organizations. Um, so we have a lot of partnerships with other youth [00:20:00] serving organizations. Mm-hmm. And then we partner with school districts
Kristie: Oh, wow.
Kea: To offer in school and after school programs. That young people can benefit from.
Kristie: Do you find that, that the students are, um, you know, are they dropping in or are they made to drop in?
Mm-hmm. There's a difference. You know, oh, I wanna come and I wanna see what this is about. Yes. You guys seem cool. Or is it like, well, my mama made me, or my or my counselor said, I have to come. Yes. Or the principal said, if I don't, I'm, I'm in school suspension or whatever. Mm-hmm. What does that look like?
Kea: A great question.
So, um, with Teen Mental Health First Aid, we have to train a whole grade. So it's everyone. Wow, everyone. And that's a great practice because that way it doesn't single out anyone. Mm-hmm. Um, whether it's as, as a, um, in school, su suspension or, um, it doesn't allow for people to say, yes, I wanna participate.
It's just. Like a history class. Yeah. Everybody has to participate.
Kristie: Wow.
Kea: Yes. And, and that's the agreement that we make [00:21:00] with the school. Um, now the scheduling on the other hand can be a little challenging. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Ensuring that we have that eight session. Um, access to the whole student body. So meaning like we will train all the ninth graders at a school or all the 10th graders, so depending on the school, we, we work with schools across the state, so mm-hmm.
It could be a larger school or a smaller school, depending on where it's located. Um, but that means that all peers are going through the same. Course and having the same information so that then they have the information for themselves and then they can support a friend or a classmate if needed.
Kristie: So are you training at the same time?
Are you training the, um, the teachers and counselors? So everyone is, everyone is getting that training, yes. Yes. That's really, that's very impactful in my head. I'm just thinking like that. Exactly. That's huge.
Kea: It it is. It is. And, and we've seen some, some amazing outcomes from [00:22:00] that. Um. Every school is not able to make that happen.
Mm-hmm. With scheduling and testing and you know, the various requirements for the curriculum. Right. Um, but if the school cannot make that happen, then we look at a different model. So we might look at a four H club model. Okay. That's offered in the school where it's more so like what you initially asked, um, some students are identified.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, but again, it's more so, um, who do I think could be a mental health ambassador? Who do I think could support this program? And it's not the best of the best. It's not the ones that are in trouble. It's just who do I think would be receptive and could support others. Um, so that, again, it's not a penalty.
Mm-hmm.
Kea: Um, it's not a reward for being an A plus student. Got you. It is who. Who, who could participate and support. Mm-hmm. And then we promote it as ambassadors. So this is a [00:23:00] responsibility. Mm-hmm. This is a, an honor. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. This is a privilege Yeah. To be a part of this program. And once you complete it, and, and it's usually still, um, eight sessions.
Oh,
Kristie: it's still eight sessions? Mm-hmm. Okay. One
Kea: hour each. Um. And then after that, then, then you might get a lanyard or you might get like something that kind of identifies you mm-hmm, mm-hmm. As a mental health ambassador and, and they take it very serious.
Kristie: That's interesting. Hmm. That's, that's really, really interesting.
Um, so the success of the program. Um, can you remember an instance where the program really helped a young person experiencing mental health crisis or their family at this? You know, when I'm thinking about it and having this conversation, it's really a holistic approach that is, um, being implemented. So yes, it's the teen adolescent, but it's also the teacher or the counselor.
Yes, the principal. And then it's also the parent. Mm-hmm. The opportunity to have the parent as well. So do you have any examples of experiences with, I'm gonna say with a family, not just a young person, but even [00:24:00] with the family, um, around. Services.
Kea: I can't think of one. Um, and it wasn't my exact experience, it was somebody else's on the team.
Um, but this program, teen Mental Health First Aid, and four H Healthy Living programs give young people language.
Mm-hmm.
Kea: So, um, when we think back to My stomach hurts or my head hurts, or I feel like I'm gonna explode, these are things that we hear, but they may not understand the why. So, um, learning the why and then connecting that with language, um, initial emotions.
Have to do with like happy, sad, mad. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Sometimes we don't get beyond that. Right. And there's a
Kristie: whole
Kea: wheels a whole emotion. Exactly. Sorry to bring you with me. So, um, there's so many more emotions mm-hmm. And I think young people and adults don't think about that. So [00:25:00] helping first to give language to the emotions, helping young people to identify mm-hmm.
Those emotions. And then teaching them how to advocate. For themselves and even, even maybe their, their peer. Mm-hmm. Um, so that they have the, the language, they have the process to advocate and then they know who to connect to. So, um, that's why it's important to train those adults in the school. So that the adults are their go-to.
Mm-hmm. So we know that Principal Stevens is, is, is trained in Youth mental health First Aid. Mm-hmm. We know counselor Sarah is mm-hmm. Trained in youth mental health first. So safe spaces
Kristie: create no safe spaces, correct. Mm-hmm.
Kea: So
Kristie: now
Kea: they have. The language, they have the process, they have the resource, they have the people to go to.
Mm-hmm. And,
Kea: and that kind of like connects all, all the of the pieces. Mm-hmm. Um, so in this particular situation, there was a young person who had experienced a lot of [00:26:00] trauma. Mm-hmm. Um, abuse in the home. Mm-hmm. And after taking the course, she wanted to speak out about it.
Wow.
Kea: So she did. And unfortunately, some of this, um.
Abuse was on at the hands of her mom.
Mm.
Kea: And so she took a stand and said that this is not okay. This is, this is not right. Um, what can I now do about it? Then she was able to move in with her father, who was a more stable individual. But in order to do that, she had to feel comfortable, she had to understand what she was feeling.
Mm-hmm. And why she was feeling it. And then she had to take a stand to go to those safe people and to share what was going on. Mm-hmm. Um, due to her mom and stepdad and then be able to say, okay. What's my next steps? How can you help support me? What can be done? Mm-hmm. And because of it, she's in a better physical and mental space.
Um, and moving into a more safe [00:27:00] environment with her father. That's
Kristie: really great because she felt empowered. Yes. She felt safe enough. To, to be vulnerable.
Yes.
Kristie: Um, to, and, and was her own self-advocate. Mm-hmm. And felt empowered enough. I think that demonstrates the impact of the program itself. Mm-hmm. It, it demonstrates the impact of having conversations.
And even when you think students aren't listening, when those teens and adolescent, 'cause they always, they rolling their eyes and they're not, they may have their head down, but guess what they. Probably are really listening. Yes. It's something that's really touching them in a way. And she clearly was touched by that.
That's, that's actually amazing. That's really, really great key. Is there anything else you wanna add that we haven't touched on or talked about? I know I kind of talked about a number of things that may or may not have been on our script. Um, yes. We are scripted a little bit, but I think that it's important.
Um. To think outside the box when we have programs like this. Mm-hmm. Because we don't hear about them often. Right. And oftentimes it's not necessarily a resource that I'm gonna always connect to my caregivers. Mm-hmm. And so thinking outside the box [00:28:00] around this is something extra that we can refer our caregivers to, we can refer their, their teams or services or maybe the schools that they're working in too.
I think that's an amazing opportunity to have. So is there anything else that you might wanna add?
Kea: Yes, there are a couple things. Um, so I wanted to mention that four H is in every county of this state. So, and in every county you can, um, look up, uh, four H in your county, uh, and go to the website and see what programs are offered.
Um, mental health programs may not be in every single county. Mm-hmm. But, um, there will be some kind of resource. That you can connect to for four H. Um, another piece about four H is it is. Youth led. Mm-hmm. A lot of our programs are youth led, um, meaning that youth are in the forefront. There's always gonna be a staff member, right?
Or a volunteer that, you know, forms and shapes things [00:29:00] and kind of oversees things. But we always check in with youth to say, what do you think about this? How would you do this? Would you do it any different? Would you like to lead a session? Mm-hmm. Once that you have mastered, um, some of these skills. So when the young people go through and become like a mental health ambassador, we might say, now, what are the opportunities now?
Can they teach a lesson next year to a younger group of students? Or, um, can they do a presentation, um, in some way, shape or form at the school or at a four H event? Mm-hmm. We always wanna put young people in the forefront. And, and like you mentioned about being empowered, that empowers them. Mm-hmm. That allows them to know that they are important, that they have a voice, that they are, um, a huge component mm-hmm.
Of these programs. So that's something else. Because I think sometimes as adults we say we know what's best and we, we all the answers. Right. We wanna implement this and that. Yeah. But check in Yeah. With the young [00:30:00] people and see what they need. Yeah. Or what they want or, or what's in the forefront mm-hmm.
For them so that their voice is heard because youth voice is, is very important.
Kristie: Definitely counts. We always, I always say at these grassroots level, we have to listen. Mm-hmm. Because we think sometimes we ha we know the need, but we really have to listen to the communities in which we're looking to serve.
Whatever that community is.
Kea: Yes. Agree.
Kristie: All right, so ke how can people connect with you or four h programs in the community? What's a good number or email or any of that good stuff?
Kea: Sure. Email is, is the best way. Um, and then also, um, searching on, uh, the internet. So my email is kea atsu.edu. So it's nice and simple.
All right. Easy to remember. Um, and then if you are looking for four H Healthy Living programs or Mental Health First aid, please, um, Google, uh, MSU, extension Mental Health First Aid. And we have a nice website that [00:31:00] comes up and it has information about trainings and, um, contact information as well. Or you can look at, um, Michigan for age healthy living.
And find our healthy living programs. Um, we talked a lot about mental health programs, but we also have mindfulness programs
mm-hmm.
Kea: For the younger ones to help them, um, learn how to decrease stress at a younger age so that it does not build into chronic stress. Mm-hmm. And mental health challenges. So we work with youth as young as five.
Kristie: Wow.
Kea: Yes. So that information can be found on our website as well.
Kristie: Thank you for that. Thank you Kea. And thank you for joining us today. Very excited to have you some great information. And so we understand that some conversations surrounding mental health can be difficult for our family caregivers, so we appreciate everything that you've mentioned here today and all of your contact information.
And to our listeners, if you found this episode helpful, please subscribe. Leave us a review and share with a friend or a fellow caregiver. For more resources and updates, follow us on [00:32:00] social media or visit www.se mirc.org. You can also reach us at info, that's INF o@miseniors.org or call. Give us a call, 8 8 8 3 4 1 8 5 9 3.
Until next time, take care and keep caring.