Wolfson launches youth mental health education and awareness program

Wolfson Children’s has announced the launch of Common Thread, a new education and awareness initiative aimed at supporting the mental health of children and teens throughout North Florida and South Georgia.

Developed by behavioral health experts with Wolfson Children’s, Common Thread addresses the increasingly common mental health challenges among children and teens across the United States.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately one in five children and teens experience a mental health disorder each year. In Florida alone, 203,000 teens report having serious thoughts of suicide, while 325,000 experience a major depressive episode annually. The consistent rise in these numbers over the past decade highlights the growing urgency to address youth mental health with immediate, community-focused action.

Common Thread aims to empower children and reduce stigma by weaving mental wellness into the journey of childhood. The program brings focus to the behavioral health needs of children and teens by highlighting current mental health trends, amplifying awareness in the community, providing free educational resources for youth, parents and caregivers and connecting families with local support and services.

Replacing the hospital’s previous work with the national On Our Sleeves campaign, Common Thread is rooted in the needs of local families and built to address the evolving challenges faced by today’s youth.

“The name Common Thread signifies that mental health impacts and connects every member of our community,” said Jennifer Arevalo, behavioral health prevention coordinator for Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “By normalizing these types of challenges, Common Thread is spreading the message that our mental health is just as important as our physical health and there are resources and support available.”

Common Thread works by strengthening protective factors in our community, which are positive traits and influences that help reduce the risk of mental health challenges. This proactive approach to behavioral health outside of the hospital focuses on three key areas or “threads”:

• Awareness Thread: Common Thread works to reduce stigma and raise awareness by hosting educational sessions and trainings, participating in community events, creating space for community members to share their lived experiences and sharing thoughtful content across social media, newsletters, the hospital’s website and other media platforms.

• Education Thread: By providing free, age-appropriate educational resources, Common Thread helps caregivers and community members better understand child and teen mental health. These resources include signs and symptoms to look for, age-appropriate coping strategies and effective tools for parents, caregivers and trusted adults to support children and teens’ emotional well-being. 

• Community Resource Thread: Recognizing that accessible, close-to-home support builds stronger outcomes, Common Thread connects families with local resources as well as trusted mental health providers and agencies in the community.

“At Wolfson Children’s, we are committed to supporting every aspect of a child’s health, including their mental and emotional well-being,” said Allegra C. Jaros, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “With the launch of Common Thread, we are expanding our ability to meet families where they are with resources and support they need most.”

To explore Common Thread’s free mental health resources, stay informed about updates or get involved, go to WolfsonChildrens.com/CommonThread.

Common Thread is made possible by philanthropic support from Margaret & Robert Hill, the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund and Simply Healthcare Plans.