Mental health challenges continue to skyrocket. More than half the teens meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. Half! The number one cause of death for teens is now suicide.
Last year, the school districts in Salt Lake County and Utah County have averaged more than one referral every other day to school counselors for suicidal behaviors.
The mental health system is broken for teens. The typical talk therapy session is $100 to $200 per 50 minutes. That is not enough time commitment each week to make a meaningful change. And it isn’t an environment where teens feel like they can open up and share. On the other end, wilderness therapy and residential treatment facilitates are over $50,000. The medium family income in UT is $71,000. Simply put, that is 70% of their income. Plus there is plenty research to show that congregate care doesn’t actually works for teens.
Youth today are losing the battle of stress and anxiety; they can’t do it on their own. Families are stuck, they are scared and are looking for answers.
That is why we created Pivot Adventure. Pivot Adventure is an adventure-based mentorship course for teens. We specialize in helping teens who are struggling with depression, anxiety, and isolation build resiliency. Students participate in adventure activities with a mixture of mental health professionals and outdoor specialists. Topics are focused on improving their internal narrative (the story they tell themselves), identifying external conditions that get in the way and working through the conflicts of interest.
Pivot Adventure is changing how we improve mental health for teens.
- Everyone who wants to join has to apply to get in. If you are not enrolled in the process then you are unlikely to change. Note: This is different from being reluctant to start. We are all reluctant to start any weight loss program or to start the first day of school but we still show up to see what will happen next.
- As mentioned above cost is a huge factor. It shouldn’t cost a second mortgage to send your teen to the desert. And because we are a nonprofit through our donations we have been able to put many teens through our resiliency training course on scholarships.
- The use of deficit based model is a problem. Therapists have to diagnose their patience in order code it and send it to insurance companies to get paid. That model is a problem. Because what we know is that life is long. And people do change over time. We also know that all labels are a human invention. By putting labels on someone we are now seeking out the evidence to fit the label. Another note: That doesn’t mean, for instance, that a teen struggling with clinical anxiety shouldn’t seek the help from a qualified counselor. But for every teen that struggles with general anxiety Pivot Adventure may be the place for them.
Every passing moment is a chance to turn it all around. That is why we are on a mission to provide growth opportunities for all teens regardless of what zip code they were born into.
Of course, none of us would hesitate to jump in the pool to save someone who was drowning. That’s is what we are looking for donors like you to jump in with us to save these teens. Your contribution can help transform the lives of 50 teens. We are leaning in and counting on you. Is that something we can talk more about? Reach out to us by email.
Josh Allred's Blog 