Ohana’s Youth Advisory: Youth helping youth improve mental health

But some of her recent decisions have had outcomes that affect not only her, but also her peers and the community at large. This is because Savannah is on Ohana’s Youth Advisory, a council of 10 middle and high school students who advise the leadership at Ohana, a local youth mental health program run by Montage Health.

“We’re youth from around Monterey County bringing insight, comments, questions, and concerns about some of the next steps that Ohana should consider,” Hunter said.

Ohana provides mental health services to thousands of Monterey County children and youth through individual and group therapy, outpatient care, emergency and crisis care, classes, workshops, and more.

“We wanted to create a center that would be a trusted resource for the families in our community when they have questions or worries about their child,” said Dr. Susan Swick, MPH, Executive Director, Ohana. Swick says that Ohana assesses youth and offers evidence-based treatment in a way that becomes a trusted partnership with the family.

Ohana’s Youth Advisory helps guide Ohana leadership in their decision-making and program development. They meet for 10 sessions over the course of half a year and use their meeting times to discuss program-related decisions including class and workshop topics, adjuncts to therapy, flyer and brochure content, what defines and contributes to good mental health, and Ohana gift shop items.

“As Ohana grows, we want to make sure that what we’re doing resonates with the teens in our community. This council makes the programs and services that Ohana provides more relevant and helpful for the population that we serve,” said Krista Reuther, LCSW, MPH, Assistant Director, Ohana, who oversees the council.

This group of 10 teenagers is the very first iteration of the council, serving as a pilot group before the next cohort launches in August 2023. The council boasts a diverse group of teens, representing students from all over the county from various schools coming together to work toward a common goal: helping their peers receive better mental health treatment. The broad range of perspectives and experiences helps to form a well-rounded sample of the area’s broader community of youth, with each teen bringing a wealth of knowledge from their unique background.

Many of the youth recruited to this inaugural council were past or current Ohana patients, like Hunter, who were recommended by their therapists. Other council members were recruited from local schools because of their leadership skills and passion for youth mental health.

“Throughout my life I’ve experienced mental health challenges and have received treatment from Ohana,” said Hunter. “Their treatment has helped me more than I could have ever asked for, so I’m passionate about helping other people who have been in my position."

The for-teen-by-teen council also provides the youth with an opportunity to gain experience in a healthcare setting. As Reuther explains, many of the youth on the council want to go into the healthcare field for their careers. But the main draw, as Hunter explains, is the chance to make a positive difference in the lives of others: “The decisions in these meetings are going to impact me, my peers, and all of the patients at Ohana, and that is a special and important responsibility.”

“They feel so excited to have input on what Ohana is doing. When we asked what they want to get out of this experience, they said unanimously that they wanted to feel that they are influencing choices made by Ohana leadership, that they are getting to make a difference,” said Reuther.