The Friendship Circle’s The Beacon Opens in Squirrel Hill

The Friendship Circle held an open house on May 16 for The Beacon, the new teen wellness and community space with a focus on uplifting and supporting the well-being and mental health of all teens in the Pittsburgh area. In September 20...
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Teen Mental Health Proclamations Signed by Governor Josh Shapiro & County Commissioners Across the State

The PA Youth Advocacy Network recognized May 23rd as Teen Mental Health Awareness Day with a proclamation from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Youth advocates also were present virtually and in person at meetings across the Commonw...
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The Jewish Chronicle Publishes JHF Op-Ed on the Need for Investment in the Mental Health System

The pandemic's effects on youth mental health and the need for increased services and supports was recently highlighted in a Jewish Chronicle op-ed "The time is now to invest in the mental health system" by Jewish Healthcare Foundation...
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Dr. Emily Kline Shares Expertise for Engaging Youth in Difficult Conversations

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation sponsored a conversation with Emily Kline, PhD on May 11 as part of the Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Made Local Series at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall. At the Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures serie...
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JFCS Highlights JHF-Seeded Efforts at Annual Meeting

The Jewish Family and Community Services celebrated their 8th anniversary at their annual meeting on May 18. At the event, Jewish Healthcare Foundation-seeded efforts were celebrated throughout, including The Squirrel Hill Food Pantry ...
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Youth Advocacy Series Finale Brings Mental Health Needs into Focus for Legislators and Advocates

The PA Youth Advocacy Network, a program of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF), launched the 2023 Teen Mental Health Advocacy Series on February 1 with the youth presenting their final advocacy projects during the virtual finale on...
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U.S. Surgeon General Meets with Pittsburgh Youth and Youth Organizations

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited Pittsburgh on April 3rd and 4th to hear from community members and teens around the issue of protecting youth mental health. These discussions were in follow-up to the national advisory Dr....
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Teen Mental Health Collaborative Holds Quarterly Meeting at Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation

On March 23, the Teen Mental Health Collaborative held its quarterly meeting at Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation as an opportunity to network, share organizational highlights, and hear and learn from partner organizations. Collaborative m...
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Pittsburgh Arts & Lecture Event with Emily Kline, PhD Rescheduled

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation is the presenting sponsor of a conversation with Emily Kline, PhD Thursday, May 11 at 6 p.m. as part of the Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Local Series at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall. The lec...
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JHF Sponsors Pittsburgh Arts & Lecture Event with Dr. Emily Kline

Update April 4, 2023: Event has been canceled due to Dr. Kline testing positive for COVID-19. The Jewish Healthcare Foundation is the presenting sponsor of a conversation with Emily Kline, PhD on Tuesday, April 4 at 6 p.m. as part...
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2023 Teen Mental Health Advocacy Series Begins

The PA Youth Advocacy Network, a program of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, launched the 2023 Teen Mental Health Advocacy Series on February 1.The second annual series aims to connect Pennsylvania high school students with advocacy s...
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PA Youth Advocacy News: Youth Wins Leadership Award, Teens Featured on Podcast, and Panelists Discuss Ways to Amplify Youth Voice

PA Youth Advocacy Network youth advocate Mohammad Shedeed is the Pennsylvania NAMI 2023 Youth Mental Health Leadership Award essay contest winner. Shedeed, a senior at South Fayette High School, wrote about the mental health stigma he ...
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PA Youth Advocacy Network Convenes Youth-Led Meetings with Two Legislative Offices to Discuss Teen Mental Health

To kickstart the new year, youth advocates from the PA Youth Advocacy Network organized two virtual meetings with representatives to discuss bills they sponsored related to teen mental health. Youth advocates from across Pennsylvania m...
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Teen Mental Health Collaborative Holds Quarterly Meeting at Jewish Healthcare Foundation

On December 8, the Teen Mental Health Collaborative held its quarterly meeting at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation as an opportunity to network, share organizational highlights from the year,hear and learn from partner organizatio...
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WESA: Baldwin-Whitehall student tells U.S. Senators that more money is needed for teens' mental health

Brooklyn Williams, a past participant in the PA Youth Advocacy Network's Teen Mental Health Advocacy Series, took to the floor of a U.S. Senate committee to advocate for increased funding to address teens' mental health needs. Read mor...
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Sarah Pesi Chosen to Participate in Pennsylvania Education Policy Fellowship Program

Sarah Pesi, MSPPM, a Jewish Healthcare Foundation policy associate, was chosen to participate in the 2022-2023 Pennsylvania Education Policy Fellowship Program, a policy leadership program for education, community, and advocacy leaders...
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PA Youth Advocacy Leader Luna Plaza Receives YWCA Equity Award

Luna Plaza, a former youth leader of the PA Youth Advocacy Network, recently received the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh's 2022 Emerging Leader Award, recognizing a young person, age 24 or younger, whose voice and actions interrupt the status...
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Teen Mental Health Collaborative Holds Quarterly Meeting at Center of Life

On September 9, the Teen Mental Health Collaborative held its quarterly meeting at the Center of Life as an opportunity to network and collaborate, learn about family engagement strategies to improve teen mental health and wellness, an...
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Youth Leader Speaks at Global Alliance Panel about JHF’s Youth Mental Health Advocacy and Action

Alekhya Buragadda, a youth advocate with the Jewish Healthcare Foundations' PA Youth Advocacy Network, participated in "Supporting Schools in our Communities: A Critical Foundation to Child and Youth Mental Health," a moderated convers...
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Film Screening Sparks and Continues Conversation about Teen Mental Health

 Fifty percent of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75 percent by age 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. At a screening of Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, a Ken Burns documentary...
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