“We thought it would be great if we could bring some of our providers to them who can help people receive care and hopefully have some good outcomes,” said Dr. Quinton Moss, founder of Modern Psychology and Wellness.
BTW is a community center that’s part of the Greater Miami Valley YMCA and the residents in the surrounding neighborhood are predominately African-American. Moss said the African-American community historically don’t seek out mental health assistance. He said whether it’s the cultural challenge or stigmat associated seeking these services, it’s important for people of all cultures to seek mental health services.
Some of the common issues for the youth are mood disorders, depression, and symptoms of anxiety, “but African-American youth appear to seem to be an increasingly vulnerable population,” he said. “African-American youths is one of the fastest-growing groups in terms of suicide, particularly here in the state of Ohio. Having mental health services, to provide treatment, but to also provide education to the community is paramount.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates among African-Americans ages 10 to 24 years old “increased significantly” from 2018 to 2021 by 36.6%. In Ohio, the suicide rates among the Black population were highest in 2021 ― 160 deaths ― which made up 9% of all Ohio suicide deaths.
BTW Center Director Ebony Brock said this initiative is “extremely important and vital,” and it’s personal for the Hamilton high school graduate.
“My degree is in psychology, so it’s always something I wanted to bring to this particular community, and during my interview, one of the questions I was asked was how are we going to tackle the mental health crisis that we see among our young people.”
She said she knew something like this initiative would be needed, and when she met Dr. Moss, “he just seemed perfect” to bring mental health access to the kids of the center.
“We believe in a holistic approach: spirit, mind, body. And so I’m looking forward to seeing the progress and seeing how the children of our families heal and become better because of this,” Brock said who said her work at the center is “like a ministry.”
“I often refer to the work I do here as soul work,” she said. “There are some days you’re driving home and you’re in tears because you’re wondering if you’re doing enough, and then there are days when you’re driving home and you feel like, ‘Okay, I know I made a difference in someone’s life today.’ The work of transformation is not easy, but it’s an honor to do this work.”
The services will be made available for those as young as 7, and Moss said if there are adults who show they may need mental health services, they’ll try to address those needs as well, though the program is designed for the children.
The start date is planned for Aug. 7, which will be tied to a book bag event, which is designed to bring the most kids and parents to the center, exposing them to the resource. The goal is to start with at least 20 kids engaged, and Moss said they think it’s attainable.
“But we hope the community sees this as an easy way of access for care,” Moss said of the initiative that will begin as a half-day program. “BTW has had a long history of providing leadership in the community, providing various needs for the community, and we just want to walk alongside them as they’re doing that with doing what we do best, which is providing mental health services.”
Moss said depending on the success of this program, it could be expanded to other organizations that support the city’s youth.
Brock said she sees children struggling in certain situations and hopes that kids struggling can grow to a point where they’re not just surviving but thriving.
“That’s going to be the thing for me,” she said. “When I see a child who I know has been in survival mode for a very long time, and I see that child make steps toward thriving, that is what’s going to make feel like, ‘Okay, we’re doing what we’re supposed to be. When I see a child being able to be a child, we’re doing what we’re supposed to do.”
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