As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has unveiled an online hub designed to equip parents and caregivers with resources that empower youth to develop positive mental health skills while fostering the confidence to reach out for support when necessary.
The AR ConnectNow platform offers information for youth mental health engagement, featuring conversation strategies, guidance for destigmatizing help-seeking behaviors, and event planning frameworks. Users can access downloadable anti-stigma materials, validated screening tools for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma, all complemented by a 24-hour virtual clinic providing round-the-clock professional support.
In 2023, a team at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) conducted a youth mental health needs assessment, gathering information from hundreds of Arkansas parents and school professionals. The materials found on the AR ConnectNow platform are a result of that needs assessment.
“We know that the stigma around mental health continues to prevent Arkansans from getting the support that they need. This May, we are focused on normalizing conversations around mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment through our ‘End the Silence, Start the Conversation’ campaign,” said Nikki Edge, PhD, a professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. “We’ve created a free anti-stigma toolkit that all of us can use to create spaces where mental health is part of everyday conversation — at home, school, work and in our faith communities. We are encouraging people to go to our website to get the toolkit and start the conversation in your community.”