Community meeting
PARIS — On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative will host its Fall Gathering at the community room of the Paris Fire Department from 4:30-7 p.m. The event follows a spring gathering focused on youth mental health as a pressing issue.
It will bring together several local youth-serving programs and organizations that will share their important work and opportunities to help them support local young people. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are asked to register (by calling 744-6191 and asking for Brendan or emailing brendan.schauffler@mainehealth.org).
Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General called the decline in youth mental health the “crisis of our time.” His concerns echo those of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association, which jointly declared a national state of emergency for children’s mental health.
In 2019, headlines shared the story that Maine’s youth had the highest rates of diagnosed anxiety in the nation (according to the Kids Count Data Book, a publication by the Annie E. Casey Foundation). While data from recent years shows that Maine has moved from the top position, our rates of children who have ever been diagnosed with anxiety or depression are among the highest in the country.
More locally, rates of depression amongst middle school and high school students are slightly above state averages. Amongst high school students, depression has been steadily increasing since 2009, according to data from the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey.
The same data shows a concerning rise in students considering suicide. Depression and suicidality figures are much more troubling for female and LGBTQ students. Our young people are dealing with significant challenges to their mental health.
At the same time, there are limited resources to support positive mental health for young people. Mental health providers in our county, like elsewhere in the state, routinely have waitlists that can be hundreds of people long. A combination of increased demand and fewer clinicians produces these waitlists.
Despite this difficult scenario, there is cause for hope. Many local organizations and programs are doing important work to support positive youth development and mental health. At previous gatherings of the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative, caring adults have shown an interest in stepping up to help our young people, and a desire to know where and how they can begin. The Nov. 15 meeting is focused squarely on addressing that concern.
Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from groups in several different parts of the county about their work, and about opportunities to volunteer time and talent in support of young people.
The Oxford County Wellness Collaborative invites all members of the public to attend. The meeting will feature a free meal and onsite childcare will be provided. Transportation assistance is also available.
For more information about the Collaborative, or to register for the Nov. 15 event, call Brendan Schauffler at 744-6191. Interested persons can also visit the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/oxfordcwc.
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