July 11, 2024
Transforming education and mental health in Watts
Our investment in the Watts neighborhood of California, in partnership with Neighborhood Youth Achievers, reflects our commitment to holistic community well-being.
Through mental health ambassador training, participants are breaking free from stigma and helping people in their communities thrive.
“In our community, there is a big stigma around mental health,” said Delmy Torres, a parent, grandparent, and self-described mental health advocate, who took training led by Neighborhood Youth Achievers, a Watts-based nonprofit.
“When someone is having a crisis, the training helped me address the individual, or when not to address them and instead reach out to community resources,” she said.
Torres continued, “Now, I can support my community by being able to identify and be more flexible when I see a situation or someone in crisis. I extend my training and services to individuals in need.”
Supported by a $75,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente, NYA’s training is just one of the ways the organization is investing in the well-being of students and families at 112th Street Elementary School.
Education, mental wellness, and fun
NYA also organizes a Play Day and excursions to events such as CicLAvia, a car-free streets event in Los Angeles that allows people to cycle, walk, and convene in the open streets, and a Los Angeles Lakers basketball clinic. Additionally, the organization, founded in 2003, brings physical and mental health resources to both 112th Street Elementary School campus and to a nearby recreation center at 10345 South Central Avenue.
Kaiser Permanente’s grant also funds mental health ambassador training for parents, taking a holistic approach to community well-being.
With guidance from trained and experienced mental health professionals, parents attend 16 hours of training to become mental health aides and ambassadors. They learn how to recognize signs of suicide, administer first aid, practice trauma-informed parenting, and more. The ambassadors are then able to engage the community, promote mental health services, and gain job skills in the health care industry.
‘I took this training to heart’
“Investing in mental health education and training promotes community empowerment and direct participation in improving health and well-being,” said John Yamamoto, vice president of community health and government relations for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California.
Reflecting on her training, Torres shared, “I took this training to heart. The way the instructor emphasized the importance of referring to someone as suffering from a disease or illness instead of labeling them as bipolar, depressed, or schizophrenic, helped me approach members of my community as people rather than defining them by their conditions.”
Learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to building healthy communities.
