Schools are facing increasing youth stress and disengagement, with over 40% of high school students experiencing persistent sadness, particularly among students of color and low-income backgrounds. In response, employers and educators are highlighting the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) skills for future success.
The Youth Mental Wellness COPE Clinic meets this need by integrating wellness and SEL with leadership, financial literacy, and life readiness in a culturally responsive, trauma-informed approach.
The Youth Mental Wellness Community Outreach Practice Effort (COPE) Clinic is not a medical or physical health clinic and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or therapy. Instead, “clinic” refers to a prevention-focused, education-based program that uses hands-on activities to build skills for healthy living. COPE promotes mental wellness and resilience by helping teens understand mental health challenges, practice stress management, and develop vocational and life skills that support a successful transition into adulthood.
Through monthly COPE activities, the program partners with schools, after-school programs, and youth organizations, especially those serving underserved communities. Each 60–75-minute session is highly interactive and can be delivered in person or virtually, fostering open discussion about behavioral health and the importance of early support. The curriculum spans entrepreneurship, self-care, financial literacy, professional and personal development, stress management, and trauma-informed support. Activities are led by professionals skilled in adolescent mental health and grounded in eight domains of self-care: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, professional, environmental, spiritual, and financial.
