The BC2M
High School Program

Over the last nine years, BC2M has empowered students to advocate with friends, teachers and others for mental health awareness to help create more empathetic and stigma free school environments across the country.

club portal

Start a Club at Your School

Through weekly meetings, direct support from BC2M staff, and school-wide events and presentations, our student-led High School Program increases awareness and education while empowering youth to be leaders of this movement and end stigma around mental illness. For more information email us here: highschool@bringchange2mind.org.

Here’s what we provide:

  • An annual $500 grant for club activities
  • Dedicated, year round BC2M staff support
  • Access to the Club Portal containing event ideas, educational presentations, and a club guidebook
  • An invitation to our annual BC2M HS Student Summit where hundreds of members come together for a day of learning, inspiration and connection! 
  • Free annual Headspace meditation app subscriptions 
  • Leadership development 
  • Training opportunities
  • Promotional club kit
apply today

Measurable Success

Our evidence-based club program has a proven track record of creating positive shifts in campus culture and help-seeking behavior outcomes for students across the country. Click below to download our most recent Impact Report, or keep scrolling to apply to get Bring Change to Mind at your school!

download the impact report

of students talk more about Mental Health because of BC2M.

of members said that participation in BC2M helped them take better care of their mental health.

of members say that empathy and understanding increased among student body because of the club.

Where We Are

Click on a state in the map below to see the list of schools in our network

540

High school clubs

16

Pilot middle school clubs

43

States

Testimonials

Headspace for Teens

We are proud to partner with Headspace to empower teens to care for their mental health by providing free access to their web and mobile resources, including meditation and mindfulness exercise to help you get happier and healthier. This free subscription is available exclusively through our High School program, so register as a member or apply to join today!

Headspace for Teens. A platforms to help teens be kind to their mind

BC2M Club Members IRL

Frequently Asked Questions

Have some more questions? Maybe we can answer them here!

BC2M HS works from the teen perspective up by providing a platform from which the teen voice, with their opinions and suggestions, is finally heard. These student-led clubs create a space for educated conversation around mental illness, change perceptions early on, and demystify a topic that affects so many young individuals, either directly through their own experiences or indirectly through a family member’s or friend’s experiences.

Once your BC2M HS Club has formed, you can schedule weekly or bi-weekly meetings to talk about mental health and wellness on your campus. From these discussions, you will plan events and activities to engage the wider school community and to create ripples of change in how mental health is talked about and perceived by your peers.

BC2M Headquarters will provide you with all the necessary materials and resources required to launch and develop your group. This includes:

  • A BC2M HS Club Guidebook with detailed program information and a range of discussion and activity ideas;
  • BC2M HS Club Leaflets;
  • Branded swag to help unify BC2M HS Club Members, and to highlight club presence on campus;
  • Bi-weekly newsletters that provide program updates and information as well as notifications of local events, activities, and trainings;
  • A $500 grant to help fund activities related to the BC2M HS mission;
  • Ideas for community events and activities; and
  • BC2M HQ works with each Club to organize mental health trainings and speakers that are of interest to the students.

  • BC2M HS enables prevention and early intervention by helping students talk about mental illness today in order to prevent crises later.
  • Your BC2M HS Club will receive a $500 grant for the purpose of funding activities related to increasing mental health awareness and improving your school climate.
  • You will be invited to our Annual BC2M HS Student Summit, which brings together Club Members to hear from leaders in the field of mental health, share their club’s successes, and action-plan for the year ahead.
  • BC2M HQ will arrange for speakers to present at your Club meetings or school presentations.
  • You will gain access to a wide network of students who share your passion for mental health and wellness.
  • You will have numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth.
  • Your Club will be frequently informed about mental health trainings and educational opportunities happening in your area.

Building on preliminary research, BC2M has partnered with an outstanding research team from the University of California, Berkeley to further assess and confirm the effectiveness and overall impact of the BC2M High School Program Pilot Project. Leading this in-depth evaluation are the world-renowned researchers, and experts in their fields, Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and Dr. Bennett Leventhal, M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.

The research was concluded in the Spring of 2017, and the quantitative evaluation findings may be found here. The qualitative evaluation findings will be available by mid-2018. Stay tuned!

1 in 4 people will be affected by a mental illness at some point in their lives. 50% of these mental health disorders will begin before the age of 14, and 75% before the age of 24. There are effective treatments available for mental illness, but nearly â…” of people living with a diagnosis do not seek help from a health professional because of stigma and discrimination. BC2M is working to change the unacceptable fact that cultural misinformation and bias is preventing millions of people from leading full and successful lives.

Communities, schools, and governments are gradually recognizing the impact of mental illness on today’s youth, as shown by funding for mental health services and early intervention initiatives. However, in the growing efforts to improve these services, the most important voice in changing the next generation’s relationship with mental health is often being lost.

Through a novel framework, the BC2M High School Program empowers teens to become catalysts of change. Students decide how to tackle these issues in a way that is relevant to them, their peers, and their community. In this non-traditional, youth-focused approach, our Clubs encourage teens to utilize their creativity and passion, as well as their crowdsourcing skills, to achieve the goal of normalizing the conversation around mental health. The BC2M High School Program was founded to address the reality that adolescence is a critical window to raise mental health awareness and combat cultural misinformation.

BC2M HS Clubs do not serve as a support group on campus nor are they a form of therapy. Students seeking clinical help should be referred to their school’s counseling services or social worker, or to other resources such as the Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741) or the National Suicide Prevention Line (Call 800.273.8255).

As an organization, BC2M strives to create inclusive communities where issues regarding mental illness and stigma are talked about openly and honestly. All high school students, no matter their relationship to or knowledge of mental illness, are welcome to join the BC2M Student Movement.

Having a bad day is normal and happens to everyone. However, when these bad days turn into bad weeks or bad months, and you notice significant changes in your friend’s behavior or personality, it may be a sign of a larger problem.

Initially, one of the most important things you can do is to show love and concern for your friend, and to let them know that you’re always there to support them. If you believe that your friend requires additional help, or you feel overwhelmed in any way about the situation, trust your gut and do not hesitate to speak to an adult who could help. This may be a school counselor, a teacher, or a parent / guardian. Speaking up shows that you truly care, and it could help your friend access the support that they need and deserve.

More questions?

Reach out to a BC2M High School Program staff
member at highschool@bringchange2mind.org,
and we’ll be in touch!