In 2021, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General declared youth mental health to be a public health crisis and national emergency. The surgeon general’s advisory report added to a growing number of calls for attention to and action around adolescent mental health. Mental health challenges are the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people. COVID-19 added to pre-existing challenges that youth face today. Knowing that mental health is an essential part of overall health, the Office of the US Surgeon General declared unequivocally that focusing on youth mental health now is critical. 

Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service (JFS) has taken this call to action seriously. In 2021, JFS hired two child and adolescent therapists and partnered with Texas Hillel to hire a college student therapist. Together, these therapists and the JFS team have provided countless hours of therapy, consultation, education and support to young people, their families, their caregivers and the wider community. However, in an era marked by interconnected systems, no one organization or profession can solve this youth mental health crisis alone. Every person and organization play a role in supporting the mental health of children and youth.  

In 2023, Shalom Austin JFS launched a new initiative to bring together key stakeholders throughout the Austin Jewish community to coordinate prevention efforts and educational resources to improve teen mental health and create a foundation to be able to respond appropriately to crises. From across the youth engagement, education, clinical, spiritual, and programmatic worlds, Shalom Austin and community partners are working proactively to build resilience in teens and young adults. Known as a “Resiliency Roundtable,” this collaborative strives to share information, promote local mental health resources, identify local needs and opportunities for collaboration and strengthen a network of individuals to sustain work towards building a more resilient community. 

Over the last six months, Shalom Austin has convened professionals from across the Jewish community, including Shalom Austin, BBYO, Camp Young Judaea, Congregation Agudas Achim, Congregation Beth El, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Shir Ami, Congregation Tiferet Israel, Greene Family Camp, Israel Action Committee, Temple Beth Shalom and Texas Hillel. Collaborations have included bringing Hillel professionals and mental health experts into religious school high school programming to talk about Judaism and mental health in college, providing social emotional education and experiences in Kids Connection after-school care, and providing suicide prevention trainings to community partner staff who work with youth and teens. The passion with which all sectors and community partners have engaged in this work means there are many more collaborations to come.  

The work towards improving teen mental health and building more resilient communities is big, and no one can do it alone. As is written in Pirkei Avot 2:21: “It is not on you to complete the work; neither are you free to desist from it.” By centering relationships and building partnerships, the local Resiliency Roundtables are fulfilling the communal obligation to come together in support of the community, build resilience, and improve teen mental health.