Mental Health Literacy (MHL) addresses the needs of adolescents from grades 8-12, when youth are at the developmental capacity to build upon skill-based programs such as Social Emotional Learning (SEL). MHL curricula and programs address a knowledge base that include the following:

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• Understanding how to foster and maintain positive mental health

• Understanding mental health disorders and their treatments

• Decreasing stigma

• Understanding how to seek help effectively

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Studies show including Mental Health Literacy in an education program leads to decreased stigma and a stronger mental health knowledge base.  In turn, that leads to robust peer support amongst youth, decreased delays to care, improved student productivity and more effective interventions for students at risk of suicide (Kutcher et. al, 2016).
 

Regardless of the availability of SEL programs, MHL is likely a key support for addressing today's youth mental health crisis and eliminating mental illness stigma for a generation.