LEWISTON – At 19, Cheyenna Spellman figures she’s on track to getting her life in order.

She’s on her own, she’s kicked the drugs and she’s getting counseling.

“I have friends that care about me and support, and it’s really made the difference,” she said.

But she didn’t have it when she first came to Lewiston, and she didn’t know where to get it.

“Kids don’t know where to go, where to get help or even what help is out there,” she said. “And they don’t trust people. They’ve been abused, so they don’t know who they can trust.”

Spellman and her friends, the members of THRIVE Initiatives youth group, are trying to change that – to let young people, many living downtown on their own or with little support, know there is help.

They’re also trying to change the state’s mental health support system from within, making it better able to help the people it must.

“We’re not delinquents,” said Mike Pryor, a member of the group. “But that’s the sense that many get from the system.”

And that can discourage kids from getting treatment.

“One of our big things is getting youth involved in their treatment,” Pryor said. “Getting understanding and making decisions about what they need, what works for them.”

The THRIVE Initiative is a joint effort to change the face of abuse, mental health, trauma and drug treatment. Led by Tri-County Mental Health and the state’s Health and Human Services department, it doesn’t offer counseling. Instead, it helps direct people to counseling and hopes to show counselors some things they don’t know.

A key part of that effort is the youth group. THRIVE youth coordinator Brianne Masselli said the group is made up of people ages 14-23, who rely on counseling or trauma treatment, or have in the past.

“On one hand, we’re trying to reduce the social stigma around mental illness and getting treatment,” she said. “On the other hand, some of the time they do it by getting out amongst their peers. Member Hillary Groves, 14, helped organize a suicide prevention walk in Portland this summer and Spellman is helping organize the New Beginnings Christmas party for area youth. The group hosted an open-mic night this spring at Cafe Bon-Bon aimed at bringing in Lewiston/Auburn’s youth. There’s talk of hosting a downtown block party this coming summer.

They are also creating a Web site to guide kids and parents through the state’s mental health system.

But the work the kids are most proud of is working with counseling professionals. They’ve attended state mental health conferences, sitting on panels to explain how counseling feels from their point of view. Some testified before legislators this summer.

“It’s important to advocate to youth that they have a voice and they can use it,” said member Allie Spear. “And also, to the parents and the practitioners, we have this voice and we know what we need. And, I don’t want to sound rude, but you will listen to us.”