UF Santé Saint-Jeanwill host its fourth edition BRAVE Summit on March 27 at the Saint-Augustin Amphitheater.
Open to Florida high school students, the BRAVE Summit aims to break the stigma surrounding adolescent mental health issues. Students in attendance are encouraged to openly share conversations about mental health with each other and with supporting professionals, including participants Kevin Hines and Odd Rod, in hopes of normalizing the topic of mental health.
“The BRAVE Summit has become an important means of raising awareness among young people, not only in our community but across the state,” Carlton DeVooght, president and CEO of UF Health St. Johns, said in a news release. “It is gratifying to see this event grow and see the impact it is having in making difficult conversations about mental health more accessible.
The summit is a central event of the BRAVE program. Founded in 2019, BRAVE, which stands for Be Resilient and Voice Emotions, connects high school teens to mental health resources.
According to recent statistics, before the implementation of BRAVE in St. Johns County schools, only 35% of students referred to mental health providers were seen by a medical professional. Today, this figure stands at 90%.
Paige Stanton, event founder and executive director of UF Health St. Johns Care Connect, described the BRAVE Summit as key to reaching “as many young people as possible” and informing them of the resources available to them.
“We welcomed more than 1,000 young people last year and we expect even more this year,” she said in the press release.
St. Augustine students can earn community service hours by participating. Attendees will also enjoy free food and drinks, prizes, giveaways, a photo booth, interactive games, a skateboarding demonstration, art and poetry competitions and much more.
In addition to the BRAVE Summit, a free summit for parents, guardians and guardians will take place simultaneously at St. Augustine’s Elks Lodge from 3 to 7 p.m. Speakers will discuss ways to facilitate successful and productive conversations about mental wellness between parents and teens. Participants learn how adolescents navigate the ever-changing landscape of managing their mental health.
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