Event for Columbia parents, caregivers focuses on youth mental health

An opportunity this week will provide information on addressing youth and young adult mental health.

The Ultimate Parent's Guide to Youth Mental Health summit will take place 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Community United Methodist Church, 3301 W. Broadway, and is organized by Tanya Heath.

She is welcoming religious leaders and mental health professionals to provide input on youth and young adults' mental health challenges and how a person could provide them the tools to create a better life.

Guest speakers include Cassie Elon Thomas of Women at the Well Ministries, Professional Speaker and Life Coach Kat Schudel, trauma therapist Tasca Tolson, and therapist and educator Emily Arth. Others participating include Glenn Cobbins Sr. and Judy Hubbard.

Attendees will learn to:

• Identify common forms of trauma;
• Recognize common symptoms of mental illness;
• Risk factors and how to reduce them: Skills for resilience; and
• How to engage dialogues that create safety, hope, belonging.

"At this free event that is open to the public, we want to give parents and caregivers real skills to help all kids now and give them a great start to the new school year," Heath expressed. "The more we can learn as a community, support our youth and one another, the faster the positive transformation will happen. We can do it if we are focused on doing what we need to do now."

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Event for Columbia parents, caregivers focuses on youth mental health