ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Mark your calendars, the BRAVE Summit returns to the St. Augustine Ampitheatre later this month on Wednesday, March 26.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Organized by UF Health St. Johns for its fifth year, the BRAVE Summit is a free event dedicated to discussing and addressing stigmas surrounding teen mental health.
The Summit offers students a safe environment to openly discuss mental health topics alongside their peers and mental health professionals. BRAVE strives to normalize conversations about mental wellness and empower students to seek help and support when needed most.
Attendees can enjoy free food and drinks, enter to win prizes and giveaways, pose in a photo booth, explore art and poetry displays, and play interactive games, among other activities.
“Each year, it’s heartening to see the important work being done at the BRAVE Summit to create a welcoming and safe space for teens to discuss mental health,” said Kerry Watson, Interim CEO of UF Health St. Johns. “Creating a path for a generation that prioritizes mental health as a vital aspect of overall well-being supports our commitment in creating healthier communities.”
Musical guest Paul Russell will perform at the Summit, as well as featured presentations by mental health advocates Emma Benoit and Charles Clark.
The BRAVE Summit is a main event of the BRAVE program, which was founded in 2019. Before BRAVE’s implementation in St. Johns County Schools, only 35% of students who were referred to mental health providers were seen by a medical professional. With the BRAVE program, that rate has increased to 90%.
Since its founding and despite the pandemic, BRAVE has expanded into 10 school districts across the state, with the ability to assist nearly 300,000 students.
“Last year, we welcomed almost 2,000 high school students from 21 school districts, and we are eager to enhance this year’s Summit even more,” said Paige Stanton, the founder of the event and executive director of UF Health St. Johns Care Connect. “Our focus is to reach as many teens as possible and raise awareness about the mental health resources available to them. It’s incredibly rewarding to help them understand they’re not alone in facing these challenges; many of their peers are navigating similar experiences.”
Click HERE to learn more or to register for the event.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Sign Up
