Mental Health Association in Niagara County introducing youth peer support services

The Mental Health Association in Niagara County, in collaboration with Mental Health Advocates of Western New York, will offer youth peer support services to middle and high school students.

The agencies will work with Niagara County school districts to conduct presentations in classroom settings on subjects related to mental health, as well as provide youth peer staff for additional one-on-one support to students who may need, or want, additional support to help them better identify, manage and recover from mental health issues they may be dealing with.

“We’re really able to leverage the expertise of both agencies to benefit the students of Niagara County: the community education piece provided by the MHA in Niagara County, and the youth peer services provided by the Mental Health Advocates of WNY,” Mental Health Association in Niagara County Executive Director Daniel Colpoys said.

Funding for this initiative is provided through a grant from the Grigg Lewis Foundation, a private entity established in 1968 through a gift by Henrietta Grigg Lewis, and whose areas of interest include arts and culture, community improvements, education, elderly, health and wellness, history/preservation/tourism, human service, and youth, with a heavy focus on benefitting the residents of eastern Niagara County.

It is the goal of The Mental Health Association in Niagara County to promote mental wellness by sponsoring and implementing advocacy, education and community service programs.