Mental Health Awareness Month - Events

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National PTA: Championing Mental Wellness Together This May

This May, for Mental Health Awareness Month, we are committed to working alongside families, educators, and communities to ensure the mental well-being of all students.

Why Mental Health Matters in Education

Strong mental health is a cornerstone of student success. When students feel supported and empowered, they're better equipped to learn, thrive, and build positive relationships.

National PTA's Resources for You

We understand that navigating mental health can feel overwhelming. That's why PTA has compiled resources to equip you with the knowledge and tools to support the mental well-being of the children in your life.

For Parents and Families

For Educators and School Staff
- Strategies for creating a mentally healthy classroom environment
- Supporting students who may be struggling
- Advocating for mental health resources in your school

For All Community Members
- How to break the stigma surrounding mental health
- Ways to get involved in supporting mental wellness initiatives

Mental Health Awareness Month 2024

Healthy Minds

National PTA’s mental health initiative was developed in 2020 and launched in 2021 with the focus on the Whole Child Model. Our goal has been to empower families to not only develop these skills but also to put them into action. To achieve this, National PTA focused on: creating and curating resources, promoting these resources, and executing on-the-ground programming.

Through Healthy Minds, families deepen their understanding, knowledge and skills to make informed decisions around mental health and social emotional well-being.
PTA Leaders have the tools and resources they need to collaborate with their community, highlight the importance of and strengthen mental health supports in their school communities.
PTA is positioned as a valuable partner in proactively promoting mental health and social and emotional well-being.

We deploy this strategy through:

A wide variety of resources that allow parents and caregivers to be informed and take action that is disseminated through multiple channels.
Funding to local PTAs with over 200 Healthy Minds programs implemented since 2022.
Healthy Minds State Champions and National Ambassador to help increase the reach and depth of the initiative while providing feedback from the field.

Healthy Minds and mental health touches all areas of PTA:

Podcast mini-series
Promotion of resources and information through various channels, including social media, videos, articles, and websites
Integration of SEL in Center for Family Engagement’s webinar series
PTA storytelling campaign to showcase PTAs meeting the mental health needs of their school communities
Championing key policy priorities including securing $1 billion for school-based mental health services and supports that will be administered by the US Department of Education with passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June 2022 and the RISE from Trauma Act of 2023.
Mental Health Summit 2021
Partnerships such as with the CDC Foundation to survey parent mindsets related to the pandemic and their concerns for their children and mental health.
Presenting at national conferences such as the National Center for School Mental Health, webinars and other speaking engagements.