Pilsen organization helps teens navigate mental health, other challenges
CHICAGO (CBS) – CBS 2 is proud to support Mental Health Action Day on Thursday.
We're shining a light on an organization in Pilsen doing meaningful work in the community. CBS 2's Andrew Ramos introduced us to a troubled teen-turned-counselor inspiring change while addressing mental health.
"There was one year where I lost friends, I lost relatives, and I basically woke up and was like, 'I got to do better,'" said Johnnie Duncan, a family teen counselor.
It's the first-hand experience that has become an asset for Duncan. In his late teens growing up on the South Side of Chicago, he said he was o the wrong path.
Now, he's a family teen facilitator at the nonprofit organization Youth Outreach Services, which works with at-risk teens and their families to navigate life's obstacles.
"I've been through what they are going through now, and we relate," Duncan said. "So I could talk to them about certain things."
The Chicago-based organization has been on the ground, working with families for nearly 65 years, during which time, while the stigma around mental health has lessened, the challenges for teens have dramatically evolved.
That's especially so with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of social media.
"We noticed that there was a lot of anxiety," said Monica Montgomery, with Youth Outreach Services. "There was a lot of depression. There was a lot of withdrawal."
Duncan added, "They deal with TikTok. They show you how to steal cars. They would never know anything about that if it wasn't on social media."
On top of mental health assistance, the team at Youth Outreach Services is also helping local teens with job placement. Last summer, the organization helped over 100 teens land jobs.
It's a number they hope to surpass this summer.
"We can better assess what's happening with these kids, so the obstacle is still trust," Montgomery said.
To learn more about Youth Outreach Services, and the citywide aid the organization is providing the community, visit yos.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there is help out there and it's effective.
Call or text 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline and be connected to a counselor 24/7.