Capacity Building in Mental Health with Ebony Rao

The rise in mental health challenges among youth has reached alarming levels. Recent statistics show that 11% of North Carolina children aged 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety. This marks a significant increase from previous years. The situation is worsened by the pandemic's aftermath and escalating community violence. Both factors have intensified feelings of isolation and insecurity among adolescents. We’re joined by Ebony Rao, Senior Health Program Manager for the ReCAST II program at Mecklenburg County Public Health. We discuss how the program is approaching these issues and helping communities build their mental health capacity. You’ll Hear: (03:15) What strategies can be implemented to address and prevent community violence (09:22) How rising youth mental health challenges are being addressed post-pandemic (16:30) Why capacity building through initiatives like ReCAST is essential in the workforce, and how ReCAST approaches this issue (35:09) How ReCAST tracks the progress and success of its mental health and violence prevention initiatives through data and community feedback Connect with Ebony Rao and learn more about ReCAST II. Get tickets to This is My Brave: "The Show" CharMeck 2024