Columbia River Mental Health Services programs help youth dealing with mental health issuesSubscriber Exclusive

Jan. 27—In high school, Cameron began to realize that they were struggling with their mental health. Life at home was difficult, and they did not feel recognized for the accomplishments they made.

"I was just a sad teen," said Cameron, who is using a pseudonym for medical confidentiality purposes. "And I just wanted to stop feeling sad. I wanted to stop feeling bad all the time. And I wanted to start making an effort to get better."

At 16, Cameron became their own advocate. During a routine checkup, Cameron explained to their doctor that they were struggling and thought it might be a combination of anxiety and depression.

Their doctor helped get them access to antidepressants once deemed necessary and after Cameron asked for therapy recommendations, suggested Columbia River Mental Health Services and the Options Youth Program based out of the Clark County Youth House.

"Walking in and seeing how the atmosphere was there, just how inclusive and friendly it felt ... going in and feeling judgment-free," Cameron said about what drew them to the program. "Everybody's so supportive of each other — you can feel all the love in there when you walk in."

How to Get Help

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit ccteentalk.clark.wa.gov/resources for a list of community resources.

After connecting with the Options Youth Program, Cameron received access to one-on-one therapy, was assigned a case manager and got involved in peer support groups such as the Pride group.

"I would not be the person I am now without being there," Cameron said. "That's where I feel safest. I want to share that safe space with other people."

Options Youth Program and Healthy Transitions Program

The Options Youth Program, a program of Columbia River Mental Health Services, is designed to support youth ages 14 to 24 as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Each young adult in the program is assigned a "transition specialist" — essentially a case manager who works to connect them to both internal and external programs and services. They help them set goals, often with a focus on mental health as well as housing, education and employment, according to an Options Youth Program brochure.

Both the Options Youth Program and the Healthy Transitions Program take a holistic approach to looking at mental health care, acknowledging the importance of supporting youth in getting their basic needs met as a crucial piece of mental health care, according to case manager and certified peer counselor Maranda Heckler.

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The Healthy Transitions Program works closely with the Options Youth Program and is designed to serve young adults ages 16 to 25. The key difference with this program is that case managers are certified peer counselors, using their lived experience to guide the work they do with the young adults.

Some of the clients from the Healthy Transitions Program have gone on to do the same.

Alice, who is also using a pseudonym for medical confidentiality reasons, joined the Options Youth Program in high school and is now part of the Healthy Transitions Program. Her certified peer counselor has helped Alice by working with her to create mental health goals, learn healthy coping skills and even apply for scholarships for school, she said.

Being part of the Healthy Transitions Program inspired Alice to become a certified peer counselor herself. She completed the training and got certified back in the beginning of 2022 and says it is her backup career plan.

As a certified peer counselor and a youth case manager for the Healthy Transitions Program, Heckler similarly decided to use her own mental health journey to support other young adults.

"We use our lived experience to help inspire hope," Heckler said.

Certified peer counselor

Though she never spent a night on the street, Heckler spent much of her adolescent years technically homeless — she remembers weeks spent couch surfing on a friend or family member's couch and some nights spent at a shelter. As someone who grew up housing insecure, she knows firsthand how that insecurity and uncertainty can negatively impact a person's mental health.

"I realized that I was consistently in that weird in-between where you're like, 'I don't want to die, but living is not so great, either.' And I was self-harming," Heckler said.

Heckler reached out to her mom for support. She knew about Columbia River Mental Health Services because her dad had received mental health support there in the past.

At Columbia River Mental Health Services, Heckler got involved in outpatient therapy and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Mental health is a roller coaster, according to Heckler, and she is using her stories to help show other young people that they are not alone.

For the past three years, Heckler has worked as a youth case manager with the Healthy Transitions Program. Many of the young adults she works with have faced similar challenges as her, such as housing insecurity. Most clients at Columbia River Mental Health Services are low income, according to Heckler. She emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to mental health care — working to connect youth to outside resources to support basic needs along with therapy and coping skills.

"If people are struggling to have their basic needs met or if they don't feel like they have people that truly support and care about them, those are going to have such detrimental effects on mental health," Heckler said. "It's really cool how powerful just hearing you're not alone in situations can be."

For more information about Options Youth Program, the Healthy Transitions Program or other services at Columbia River Mental Health Services, call 360-750-7033 or visit crmhs.org.

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