High School Program

A student-led club dedicated to mental health conversations.

Bring Change to Mind’s High School Program gives teens a platform to share their voices and raise awareness around mental health. Our goal is to empower students to educate one another, and their communities, and to create a culture of peer support within their schools. Together, we’ll fight the stigma around mental illness.

A student-led club dedicated to mental health conversations.

Access your Club Portal

National Impact Report 2020-2021

HEADSPACE FOR TEENS

Weʼre excited to partner with Headspace to empower teens to care for their mental health by providing free access to Headspace. Headspace has hundreds of meditations and mindfulness exercises to help you learn the skills you need to be healthier and happier.

Headspace can help reduce stress and increase happiness in just 10 days
Put your mind to bed, wake up refreshed, and make good days your new normal.
Boost your focus with music and meditations, designed to help you get dialed into the moment.

In order to sign up for a free Headspace subscription through BC2M, youʼll need to be part of our High School program. If you belong to an official BC2M club, remember to register as a member to access your free subscription. If you don’t yet have a BC2M club at your school, apply to join now!

Why does mental health matter to teens?

50% of mental illnesses present
before the age of 14.

It could take 8 to 10 years between the onset of symptoms and receiving actual treatment.

2^nd

Suicide is the second leading
cause of death for ages 10 to 24.

Student Testimonials

“Before being diagnosed with anxiety myself, I had very little understanding of what anxiety is and what it means to have it. I viewed it as something permanent and something to be ashamed of, and I couldn't imagine having a discussion about it with others. It took many months for me to accept my condition, learn to overcome it, and realize that I have nothing to be ashamed of at all. Through LETS BC2M, I hope to help others make the same realization, foster open conversations about mental health, and spread the word that you CAN get better.”
EmilyJunior

“As an advisor, I loved working with BC2M. you all have been there when I needed help or support. Thank you so much for creating this group and opportunity!! You are all ROCKSTARS!”
StephanieClub advisor

“I want to change the way people, especially my peers, see mental illness. The BC2M club has allowed me to help my peers by educating them, and as a result, begun to erase the stigma of mental health in our school.”
JacksonSenior

“I really believe in this club and know that we will expand greatly over the next few years at our school. Thanks for everything!”
CadyClub advisor

“The BC2M Student Summit was a great way to meet and liaise with other students who are passionate about erasing the stigma of mental illness. It has really opened my mind to the lack of awareness that I subconsciously have in certain situations”
ClaireSophomore

“The Summit was so much fun! I loved meeting everyone and learning more about what they do with their club. It was really helpful to hear other people's stories”
RickyJunior

From 2015 to 2017, BC2M funded a formal evaluation of BC2M HS to ensure the program’s efficacy and impact. The evaluation was performed at UC Berkeley, under the co-direction of Professors Stephen Hinshaw (UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco) and Bennett Leventhal (UC San Francisco). The UC Berkeley Committee for Protection of Human Subjects fully approved this investigation, and the participants were over 700 diverse high-school students from the San Francisco Bay Area. Overall, the core findings indicate that high school students can and do reveal meaningful reductions in stigma as the result of BC2M High School Program club participation.

Read the Research

Join the movement

Thousands of students are involved across the country. Here are our participation numbers for the 2022-2023 school year.

*Updated at the beginning of every school year.

10000

Students Participating

450

Schools Participating

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS WHO MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE

The Anthem Foundation supports our BC2M Clubs in Indiana and NYC.
The Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation supports BC2M Clubs in New York City.
RADical Hope supports our BC2M Clubs in the North East.
The Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission supports BC2M Clubs in California.
The Indiana Department of Education supports BC2M Clubs in Indiana.
Abercrombie and Fitch supports BC2M Clubs across America.
American Eagle supports BC2M Clubs across the country.
The Battery Powered Foundation supports BC2M Clubs in Northern California.

Start Your Own club

Through this student-led club initiative, we help to erase the stigma around mental illness by increasing awareness and education, fostering student empowerment, building mentoring opportunities, and encouraging youth to challenge the misconceptions that so commonly surround mental health conditions. This is a big responsibility, but one that helps accelerate positive change within your community!

Interested in starting a BC2M club at your school? Great! Here’s what we’ll provide:

An annual $500 grant for group activities;
Educational and promotional materials;
Access to the Club Portal containing event & activity breakdowns, educational presentations, and a club guidebook;
An invitation to our Annual BC2M HS Student Summit where all club members come together to learn from leaders in the mental health field and share their club stories and experiences with each other;
Free annual Headspace meditation app subscription; and
Invitations to upcoming events in your area.

As of Fall 2021, the BC2M High School Program is operating within seven main geographic regions: Northern California, Southern California, Arizona, Indiana, New York City, and a cluster of states in the Northeast. If you are a student or school staff member interested in launching a BC2M club at your school, please fill out the BC2M Club Application Form.

Please note: At this time, BC2M is actively looking for new schools to participate in the BC2M High School Program in the surrounding areas of the following: Greater Phoenix area, Arizona; Greater Indianapolis area, Indiana; and New York City. If your school is within one of these regions, a BC2M staff member will respond to your application submission promptly to discuss next steps. Otherwise, if your school is located in another area, your school will be placed on our club waitlist.

The BC2M HS Program staff is happy to assist you. If you have any questions or need additional information, please e-mail [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the BC2M High School Program work?

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.

Why should I join a BC2M High School Club, or launch one on my campus?

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.

Is the BC2M High School Program evidence-based?

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!

Why is the BC2M High School Program important?

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 ⅔ 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.

Are BC2M HS Clubs a support group for teens living with mental illness?

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.

I am concerned about a friend. How can I get him / her / them help?

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.