Editor’s note: This series highlights local mental health resources, community efforts and practical ways Morgan County residents can support wellbeing during Mental Health Month and beyond.
May is Mental Health Month, and this year’s theme, “More Good Days, Together,” serves as an open invitation to consider what we all want for the young people across Morgan County.
For most of us, we want them to feel seen. We want them to have the tools to navigate adversity and challenges. We also want them to have more days defined by connection and resilience rather than isolation or distress.
In youth-serving agencies throughout Morgan County, it is understood that the best time to support a child’s mental health is today and every day. We don’t have to wait for a crisis to intervene.
When communities prioritize early support and education, they are not just putting out fires, they are being proactive. By offering prevention programs, building successful school-based mental health initiatives, and providing consistent emotional support, children develop the regulation skills and confidence they need to thrive.
It is incredibly amazing to see how the community has leaned into this work over the last several years. School-based mental health professionals are now embedded across all four school districts. School-based mental health programs are a voluntary service approved through caregiver consent and delivered by trained mental health professionals, such as psychologists, counselors and social workers.
These providers are meeting students exactly where they are, literally, in the hallways, their classrooms, and the safe spaces within the walls of their schools. This presence changes the narrative around mental health. It changes uncharted territory and often skewed perspectives into natural, accessible parts of daily life.
Beginning the 2026-27 academic year, up to three students from each of our four public Morgan County schools will join together in inclusive, community-wide efforts through a dedicated Youth Board under the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force.
This countywide initiative gives a voice to those students who care about mental health, want to support their peers, and are ready to address real issues facing young people in Morgan County. Through their lived experiences and insights, we gain a clearer understanding of what adolescents truly need.
Together these youth will help shape the goals, priorities, and activities of the Youth Board, influence how adults and community leaders understand and respond to youth mental health needs, and connect with partners who are ready to listen and act on youth voice. The focus is on decreasing the stigma that keeps so many from asking for help.
By opening these conversations in homes, schools, and community agencies, it sends a powerful message that youth mental wellbeing is a top priority.
Efforts are also focused on those who do this vital work. Attracting and retaining high-quality, compassionate mental health providers is a challenge for many communities, but initiatives like the Kendrick Foundation’s Behavioral Health Provider Incentive Program (learn more at kendrickfoundation.org) are making a meaningful difference.
By supporting providers who fill open roles in Morgan County, this initiative helps ensure that when a child or family reaches out for support, there is a skilled, dedicated professional waiting to meet them with open hearts and an evidence-based approach.
The “more good days” we want for our youth are not just the product of programs; they really are the product of relationships.
It is the teacher who notices a student is having a hard time. It is the caregiver who engages in a game of UNO when they really want to take a break and enjoy a bit of solitude. It is the coach who checks in after a tough loss and provides encouragement to move forward. It is the community, working together to ensure no child feels they must navigate their struggles alone.
This month we invite you to join the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force to support youth mental health and wellness (contact mcmentalhealthtaskforce@gmail.com to get plugged in).
If you are a parent or caregiver in need of education and support, please reach out to your child’s school to see what resources are available. If you are a community member, look for ways to support the agencies that serve your youth.
Let’s commit to being the kind of community that values both mental health and personal wellbeing. By continuing to collaborate, educate, and show up for one another, we can ensure that every child in Morgan County can have more good days — together.
Liz Stirn is the owner and founder of Guided Vision Consulting, LLC, and Mental Health Consultant for the Kendrick Foundation/Executive Committee Member of the Morgan County Mental Health Task Force.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offer free, confidential help 24/7 by call or text at 988. Residents of Morgan, Johnson, Henry and Shelby counties can call the Choices Emergency Mobile Team directly at 463-252-3765 — a mobile program that provides 24/7 in-person help to individuals and families struggling with mental health or substance-use disorder.
