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What is Mental Health Literacy?  

Mental Health Literacy (MHL) involves students' understanding of age-appropriate mental health concepts and challenges, awareness of how stigma affects mental health, direction for available resources, and development of coping strategies and healthy routines.   

Mental Health Literacy is rooted in principles that prioritize strength-based, trauma-informed, equity focused and social emotional learning. The following mental health learning units are necessary core elements that make up a student¡¯s mental health and well-being:   

• Mental Health Stigma
• Mental Health Promotion  
• Mental Health Competency   
• Mental Health Advocacy and Seeking Help

Increasing mental health literacy leads to positive mental health; students can regulate their emotions, cope with stressors, and demonstrate behavioral management skills. Students can also increase connection to their school environment, academic functioning, and prosocial behaviors. 

Mental Health Literacy Resource Toolkit

Mental Health Promotion 

Identify activities and strategies to foster and maintain positive mental health and well-being through daily action and community connection.

Resources:?

• has documented, field-tested, and refined a strategic, collaborative process for schoolwide SEL.? 
• offers information on mental health promotion and prevention.?? 
• ?is a program that can help teens open up, feel heard, and make positive changes in their lives.
• ?provides free, timely lessons to help K¨C12 students discuss current issues and build social and emotional skills.
• designed to help clients build coping skills, resilience, and comfort with mental health topics. 

Mental Health Competency

Knowledge on how healthy minds impact classroom learning, what impacts mental health, how mental health changes over time, signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, and common treatments.

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• has education resources for information on mental health topics, including lesson plans and activities.? 
• has education resources on mental health comprehension, and common mental health challenges and disorders.?? 
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Mental Health Stigma

Knowledge about the types of mental health stigma and its impact on our individuality and community, and strategies to challenge stigma and promote acceptance through attitude, language and action.??? 

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• offers resources and information on mental health stigma.?? 
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Mental Health Advocacy and Seeking Help 

Learn how to advocate for yourself and others, which will help identify and connect to school or community mental health resources, use self-help strategies and seek trusted adults and provide a helping hand to a peer.? 

Resources:? 

• Mental Health Toolkit: Mental Health: State of Oregon? 
• offers extensive information on integrating mental and overall health services in schools.?? 
• ¨C Building Your Mental Health Literacy? 
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Washington MHL Health Education Learning Standards 

Health Education and PE Learning Standards? 

Briefs 

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• Mental Health Literacy (MHL) 101 (webinar scheduled; to be recorded and transcribed for upload)  

Professional Learning 

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WA State Mental Health Resources

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Downloadable Infographics?

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