May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to educate and reduce the stigma of mental illness.
The camper support specialist at Camp Beech Cliff helps train counselors onto how respond to a child struggling with social or emotional challenges and provides a safe, calming space to regroup. Photo credit: Sarah Hinckley/Mount Desert Islander
Camp Beech Cliff (CBC) on Mount Desert Island is a traditional Maine day camp, offering classic camp activities for ages 6-18, from swimming and boating to rock climbing and crafts.
But what happens when a child is experiencing big emotions that prevent them from enjoying the day? CBC has implemented a series of mental health supports, including hiring a camper support specialist and offering Youth Mental Health First Aid training to the community.
In this episode of Maine Ties, Camp Director Matt Cornish and Corrie Hunkler, youth engagement coordinator at Healthy Acadia, talk about the importance of mental health services for young campers and offer practical tips for caregivers on how to support children's mental health this summer.
The Maine Community Foundation's (MaineCF) Hancock County Fund supported CBC's pilot program for its first camper support specialist in 2019 with a $10,000 award through the Community Building Grant Program. A MaineCF donor last year awarded CBC $10,000 for its first Youth Mental Health First Aid training programs, which teaches adults tools for supporting children's mental health.
Learn more about MaineCF's Community Building Grant Program here.
