ALT Digital Mental Health Study We are recruiting caregivers and parents to watch a digital single session intervention and then provide feedback via a brief survey and focus group. Eligibility: caregiver of a middle school student (7th or 8th) student has experienced a major life event (e.g., family violence, peer violence, community violence, poverty-related stressors, significant medical emergency) or any other potentially negative event that you feel impacted them Compensation: $100 The study will take 2 to 2.5 hours over two sessions. Participants will receive a $100 for their time. All interviews are kept confidential. SCAN QR code above to give permission for us to contact you about the study! Interested or Questions? stepplabillinois@gmail.com 217-265-7587

ALT NEW Publication! A Trauma-Focused Screening Approach to Teen Dating Violence Prevention. By Dr. Joseph Cohen, Jae Wan Choi, M.A., Jaclyn Fishbach, B.S., & Dr. Jeff Temple Scan here to read and learn more about how using an evidence-based medicine protocol can create more accurate and equitable screening measures for teen dating violence perpetration

ALT School Mental Health Study! We are recruiting school staff to watch a digital single session intervention and then provide feedback via a brief survey and focus group. Eligibility: past or current work with middle school students (7th or 8th grade). Direct mental health service provider or school familiarity with MTSS. Compensation: $100. The study will take 2 to 2.5 hours over two sessions. Participants will receive a $100 for their time. All interviews are kept confidential. Interested or Questions?stepplabillinois@gmail.com 217-265-7587

ALT Congrats Erika!

ALT “Erika graduated in the spring with a degree in integrative biology from UIUC. She is currently a clinical research coordinator at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She works in the Department of Hematology with patients who have blood-related disorders. She is currently studying for the MCAT and completing other prerequisites to apply to medical school this fall!”

ALT Congrats Khushi

ALT “Khushi graduated with a degree in psychology from UIUC. She will be participating in a research fellowship at NYU with the Quality Undergraduate Education and Scholarly Training Program! Here, she will be mentored by doctoral students from the RISE (Researching Inequity in Society Ecologically) Lab and She is then planning on applying to Clinical Psychology doctoral programs in the Fall!”

ALT AAPI Month & Mental Health

ALT Mental Health & Asian American Pacific Islanders Many AAPIs feel stigmatized when seeking mental health services and cited: confidentiality concerns fear of neighbors opinions not wanting others to find out they are seeking treatment Second gen AAPI immigrants face many challenges when navigating their own cultural identity, balancing familial responsibilities with traditional values, and feel pressure to assimilate into American society Source: NAMI California

ALT AAPI Mental Health Disparities Asian American Pacific Islanders are the least likely to seek treatment for their mental health when compared to other racial/ethnic groups Model minority myth- Asian Americans in the community are burdened with the “model minority” stereotype, which is a misleading assumption that they are achieving a higher SES than the population, which is not always the case Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) populations have a higher uninsured rate of 9.3%, compared to 6.8% for Asian American communities in 2018, creating a barrier to treatment

ALT AAPI Mental Health Leaders Dr. Derald Wing Sue- Counseling psychologist & pioneer in the field of multicultural psychology & education, microaggression theory, multicultural counseling, and psychology of antiracism Dr. Helen Hsu- Bilingual, bicultural clinician who is the president-elect of the American Psychological Association Div. 45. Her work focuses on intersectional diverse communities, culturally responsive treatment, parenting education, school-based clinical services, and grief and loss Dr. Joseph Keaweʻaimoku Kaholokula- Professor and Chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His research focuses on identifying the biomedical, behavioral, and socio-cultural factors associated with cardiometabolic related diseases and designing community-based health interventions for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

ALT It is okay to not be okay We understand that seeking treatment may be inaccessible or stigmatizing for you in the current moment, so we included some tips below to help with your well-being for mental health awareness month Join a support group Reach out to a friend for support Explore a hobby you enjoy Journal about your feelings Try and spend sometime outside Celebrate small wins in your life Source: Mayo Clinic & SAMHSA

ALT May is mental health awareness month @uiucstepplab

ALT Prevalence -1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental health condition -Young adults (18-25 years old) have the highest prevalence of mental health conditions as compared with other age groups -Women are more likely to have a mental health condition than men (27.2% vs 18.1%) -Those who are biracial and multiracial report the highest prevalence of a mental health condition when compared to other racial & ethnic groups