Yale Student Mental Health Association (YSMHA)

Our Mission:

MISSION STATEMENT:
Yale Student Mental Health Association is a student organization that aims to raise awareness about mental illness and mental health resources and advocate for changes that promote mental health in the Yale community.

GOALS
To educate students about mental illness through guest speakers, film screenings, and discussions
To advocate for policy and culture changes that promote mental health
To reduce stigma surrounding mental illness by creating a platform for students to share their experiences of mental illness at student panels
To create a forum for open discussion of mental health issues on campus

Our Activities:

On-Campus Initiatives Branch
Direct Service
On-campus initiatives aims to develop ideas and opportunities to collaborate with other groups on-campus and bring the Yale community together. They work on designing activities that are engaging throughout the semester (hot cocoa nights, friendsgiving, crafts, yoga, study breaks with snacks, and other fun wellness activities).

Community Service & Outreach Branch
Direct Service
The community service and outreach branch works to engage the Yale and New Haven community. We engage in discussion about mental health/mindfulness and ways to make it more approachable and are currently looking to expand to local schools as we strive to change how mental health is perceived and supported, accomplishing this through our workshops with topics on self-care, mindfulness, the science behind meditation and other practices, using music and other creative outlets for well-being, and much more.

On-Campus Initiatives Branch
Direct Service
On-campus initiatives aims to develop ideas and opportunities to collaborate with other groups on-campus and bring the Yale community together. This semester, that mostly entailed preparation for our Mind Over Matter mental health awareness fair.

Community Service & Outreach Branch
Direct Service
The community service and outreach branch works to engage the New Haven community and volunteer with local groups. During the semesters, we develop a curriculum for our partnership with Mindful Exchanges that has allowed us to create modules that are then used to run interactive sessions with youth in the summer. We engage in discussion about mental health/mindfulness and ways to make it more approachable and are currently looking to expand to local schools as we strive to change how mental health is perceived and supported, accomplishing this through our workshops with topics on self-care, mindfulness, the science behind meditation and other practices, using music and other creative outlets for well-being, and much more.

Mind Over Matter
Direct Service
Mind Over Matter is an annual fair hosted by the Yale Student Mental Health Association (YSMHA) during the spring semester. YSMHA is hosting the Mind Over Matter Fair on Saturday, April 6th in the Berkeley College MPR & Buttery! Mind Over Matter creates a positive atmosphere for open dialogue on mental health and illness and educates the Yale community on the vast array of mental health resources available to them on campus. At the event, we will have several booths run by different clubs and organizations that will discuss various topics, including handling academic stress, practicing mindfulness techniques, understanding how race, culture, and ethnicity intersect with mental health, and other important and relevant topics. There will also be food available to all and performances by various a cappella groups

Research & Policy Branch
Research & Public Policy Analysis
Our main goal this semester is the development of a survey to be distributed to Yale students that aims to gauge their perception of Yale's mental health policies and services. The results of this survey will be used in conversations with the administration.

Research & Policy Branch
Research & Public Policy Analysis
Our main goal this semester is the development of a survey to be distributed to Yale students that aims to gauge their perception of Yale's mental health policies and services. The results of this survey will be used in conversations with administration.

Student Leaders:

Karen Ayoub - Co-Coordinator/Co-President Ben Swinchoski - Co-Coordinator/Co-President