Many of the people working to address mental health issues among teenagers in Montgomery County, Maryland, are still teenagers themselves.
At his weekly briefing, County Executive Marc Elrich highlighted the work of the BTheOne Ambassador Program, in which young people in 17 schools across the county help their peers address issues that matter most to them.
“The program operates on the belief that youth-led efforts are uniquely powerful because students are uniquely connected to their peers and understand the contemporary challenges they face,” Elrich said.
Kameron Pondexter, the Theona program administrator, said more than 700 participants have been trained since 2022 in life-saving overdose response techniques. The program’s youth ambassadors have also put in more than 2,000 student service-learning hours on a variety of projects — such as health and wellness kits and promoting peace in their communities.
“We are proud of the impact our ambassadors have made, and we’re excited to continue growing a generation of young leaders who are creating positive change in their schools and communities,” she said.
Sarah Insa Sadio, a rising senior at Albert Einstein High School, explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and other girls her age found themselves undergoing puberty in isolation. On top of that, social media emphasized idealized looks and lifestyles.
“It ultimately just fed into our insecurities,” she said.
As a BtheOne teen ambassador, Insa Sadio said she’s worked with other teens finding positive spaces that offer a safe, judgment-free zone.
“Mostly, something that we’ve come to appreciate now is how accounts celebrate traits, talents, and health outside of physical appearance, highlighting that your body isn’t doesn’t represent you,” she said.
To promote better mental health, Insa Sadio encourages others to take a tech break whenever possible.
“Try to go outside, have a conversation with a stranger, or maybe go outside, drive around, listen to music. Just limit your screen time and technology, and find other strategies to satisfy yourself and your brain, and to allow your brain to relax,” she said.
Monica Martin, who serves as the chief of behavioral Health and crisis services in the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, said consistently high teen screen use is associated with self-harm and poor cognitive outcomes.
The good news, she said, is parental monitoring can help reduce those risks. So can reinforcement from peers.
“When teens support each other in saying no to screen time and helping each other participate in alternative activities and healthy coping strategies and spread awareness that can save lives,” Martin said.
