Goal 1: Educate about and reduce stigma associated
with mental health.
Anticipated Impact
Increased community access and exposure to information about mental health
promotion in children will result in increased community knowledge and
understanding of the importance of mental health. Children’s Colorado anticipates
that as a result youth and their families will be more comfortable discussing mental
health with health care and community based providers, resulting in increased
likelihood that they will seek resources and support to foster positive mental, social
and emotional development. Additionally, increased community understanding of
the importance of mental health may increase public will and support for enhanced
funding for mental health promotion, prevention and treatment.
Strategy 1.1
Increase community education and awareness about the importance of healthy
social-emotional development and mental health promotion. (NOTE: Will be aligned
with Prematurity Plan’s healthy social emotional education and awareness efforts for
ages gestation – 2yrs).
Tactic: Form expert panel to identify evidence based messages and approve/
update content on a regular basis. Identify content that will proactively be
disseminated as well as develop structured process for responding to community
requests for information.
Tactic: Create centralized, community facing resource hub for healthy social-emotional
development information and resources for children ages 3-18. Develop comprehensive,
interactive toolkits for identified social-emotional topics – ex) video, tip sheets,
training modules for target audiences (parents/caregivers, coaches, school staff, after
school programs, other community based organizations serving youth, etc.); media/
communication tools, etc.
Tactic: Identify, train, and resource the Children’s Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI)
Prevention, Education, and Outreach and Community Health teams to conduct
community education.
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