The Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, in partnership with Birth to 22: United for Brighter Futures and the Becoming a Trauma Sensitive Community Action Team, celebrated the sixth annual “Get Your Green On" campaign and invited Palm Beach County to wear green on May 20 in solidarity. The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners also issued a proclamation declaring May 2021 Mental Health Awareness and Trauma Informed Care Month in Palm Beach County.
To celebrate, the Youth Services Department's Education & Training Center held four Lunch & Learns. These events offered presentations on topics related to mental health, such as “Tapping Into Your Parent Super Powers: Strategies for Getting Young Children to Behave," presented by Dr. Laura Cruz; “Anxiety & Depression: Steps for Managing Your Mental Health," presented by Drs. Courtney Molina and Tonise Florexil; “Sleep Hygiene" presented by Lauren Stroker, M.S.; and “Let's Talk about Race Ethnicity The Impact of Implicit Bias and Microaggressions," presented by Dr. Danniella Jones.
As part of the campaign, Dr. Laura Cruz and Doctoral Interns Meilyn Rodriguez, M.S. and Lauren Stroker, M.S., BCBA wrote articles about assertive communication, healthy relationships, coping with stress and improving sleep hygiene. Dr. Shayna Ginsburg teamed up with Environmental Resources Management for a video produced by Channel 20 and was also a guest on Parks and Recreation's Power of Parks Podcast. Both features focused on the positive effects of nature on a person's mental health and well-being. Youth Services Department's Public Relations Specialist Erin Baker worked with ISS to revamp the Get Your Green On website, which features events and information, mental health resources, and an engagement toolkit, and developed campaign materials to share across social media.
Among those that got their green on were Palm Beach County Commissioners and Administration, Public Affairs, Library System, Water Utilities Department, Environmental Resources Management, BeWellPBC, Faulk Center for Counseling, The School District of Palm Beach County, Healthier Delray Beach, United Way of Palm Beach County, NAMI Palm Beach County, Alpert Jewish Family and Children's Service, 211 Helpline Palm Beach and Treasure Coast, and Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.
To view all of the “Get Your Green On" photos that were shared on May 20, visit the Get Your Green On campaign's social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.