Central Minnesota changemakers address youth mental health with tech innovations
This August, AscendRural brought together a host of leaders from varied backgrounds with a common goal: Address the unique challenges facing rural America by bridging its unique strengths with technology.
This first-ever symposium shared findings from AscendRural’s first pilot program exploring youth resilience and mental health — a pressing concern for all youth that is exacerbated in rural communities by limited availability of mental health resources.
The pilot program aimed to improve this availability by partnering with local youth-serving organizations in central Minnesota communities to test technology solutions in a rural setting. These partners were CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital Clara’s House, Selander Coaching & Consulting, The Brainerd Baxter Youth Center – The Shop, Smiles for Jake, and Brainerd Family YMCA. Each helped to pilot one or both of the technology solutions, Psyche Care and Supportiv.
Community partners drew on their community connections to introduce and increase confidence in the solutions for area youth and their families, while also giving feedback on their experiences using the tools and collaborating with both the technology partners and AscendRural.
Overall, the report showed potential to address pre-crisis mental health resilience in rural communities with technology, with engagement on issues like loneliness and stress, though usage varied by partner. AscendRural’s collaborative approach and emphasis on learning were also highly valued by participants.
“It was inspiring to see leaders from so many sectors and backgrounds come together to create innovative solutions to improve youth health and well-being,” says symposium attendee Tom Steinmetz, Executive Director of Healthy Community Initiative. “AscendRural brings a unique approach to urgent community needs…I’m eager to see more innovation, more partnership, and more insights from these pilots.”
In addition to findings from the youth resilience pilot program, the event also featured sessions from two upcoming pilots: expanding internet access for rural patients and students and improving recruitment and retention for volunteer first responders. Finally, the symposium ended with a call for community feedback on an a future impact theme to address rural senior care needs.
“This symposium, and the release of this preliminary report, marks an incredible milestone,” says Melissa Kjolsing, AscendRural Managing Director. “This is our first completed pilot program, and it’s already had an impact — not only on the area youth that we were able to serve through our outstanding community partners, but also on our ability to learn, iterate, and accomplish even more next time.”
Read preliminary findings for youth resilience
Participate in first responders innovation pilot