Candid Conversations About Mental Health
The Mid South Region’s Outcomes of the Text, Talk, and Act Initiative
 
The Text, Talk, and Act event was a nation-wide discussion on mental health designed to engaged youth and young adults using technology that is ubiquitous to their everyday lives. The foundation utilized this platform to engage past and new community partners around mental health in the Mid South region.  We partnered with groups and organizations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi to engage youth and young adults of color ages 16-26.  Click here to find about more about the Creating Community Solutions, the hosting organization for the nation-wide discussion on mental health.
Suicide rates have risen 233% in the African American community over the past 10 years, and moreover, homicide and suicide rates are two of the leading causes of death for African American and Hispanic males.  Males of color are also more likely to be affected by stigma, or negative perceptions associated with mental health, and less likely to seek medical assistance.  This crisis drove our decision to focus on males of color and mental health in the Mid South region and collaborate with groups and organizations who work directly with this population. 
We partnered with groups/organizations that work directly with youth and young adults of color from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of the variables affecting mental health awareness and access in communities of color.  Below is a list of groups/organizations we collaborated with in the Mid South region:
 
Arkansas:
UAMC Medical Residents; Little Rock, AR
Population- African American and Hispanic residents of color ages 24-26.
 
Louisiana:
Reconcile New Orleans; New Orleans, LA
Population- Youth and young adults of color ages 16-24 from low-income communities who have experienced violence.
 
Central City Renaissance Alliance; New Orleans, LA
Population- Youth and young adults of color ages 16-24 from low-income communities.
 
Mississippi:
MS Student Justice Alliance; Canton, MS
Population- Young adults ages 18-22 who are engaged in civic engagement and youth organizing activities.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Tougaloo, MS