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Healthy Teen Minds

Reducing the rate of depression among youth, ages 12 to 18, by implementing strategies that focus on upstream prevention

Full Project Name:Healthy Teen MindsPrimary Community Organization:Winnebago County Health DepartmentPrimary Academic Partner:Michelle Broaddus, PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral MedicineAward Amount:$300,000
Award Date
July2022
Project Duration:24 months

Project Description Narrative:


The Northeast Wisconsin Mental Health Connection will sustain and embed into the communities of Calumet, Outagamie, and Winnebago counties the Sources of Strength project, a comprehensive mental health wellness program that utilizes the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture to ultimately prevent suicide, bullying, violence, and substance abuse.

In phase three of its Advancing Behavioral Health Initiative, the Northeast Wisconsin Mental Health Connection will further develop and promote its mental health services navigation website, www.MyConnectionNew. Additionally, the coalition will continue community engagement activities and raise awareness of teen sleep and its critical importance to teen mental health.

The Northeast Wisconsin Mental Health Connection will also continue to hold conversations with community partners with the goal of "handing off" its regional Sources of Strength implementation project to an agency or organization that can support their own "in-house" certified Sources of Strength trainer(s) that are available to provide training and support to existing Sources schools, train new schools, and also work with other regionally certified trainers to coordinate trainings in the region.

Community partners: Appleton East High School, Appleton North High School, Appleton West High School, Boys and Girls Club of the Fox Valley, Brillion High School, Chilton High School, Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) 6, Freedom High School, Hilbert High School, JRG Middle School, Kaukauna High School, Little Chute High School, Little Chute Middle School, Menasha High School, Neenah High School, New Holstein High School, New London High School, Omro High School, Oshkosh North High School, Oshkosh West High School, River View Middle School, Stockbridge Middle/High School, University of Wisconsin Extension-Madison, Winnebago County Health Department, Winneconne High School, Wrightstown High School

Project Updates:


  • Completed annual Sources of Strength trainings at 20 middle and high schools across Calumet, Outagamie, and Winnebago counties
  • Partnered with Diverse & Resilient of Appleton to complete the development of an LGBTQ+ ally training for middle and high school staff and completed the first training in spring 2023
  • Continued to grow usage of the Trilogy/Network of Care Mental health resource navigation website to connect community members with mental health resources in the community
  • Supporting CESA 6 to take over coordination of Sources of Strength implementation and training, including supporting the 12 local school staff representing eight schools that are now certified school-based Sources trainers for their schools and districts

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