By Dr. Alyssa Gilden and Jessica Ochs   

Shalom Austin’s Jewish Family Service (JFS) and Youth & Teen Department continue to expand their partnership to provide crucial support to the community’s youth through its Resiliency Roundtable work. This collaboration strengthens local efforts to build community and individual resilience and ensures that young people have access to mental health resources, programming and a robust support system.  

Recognizing the growing challenges youth face — exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic —the Shalom Austin Youth & Teen Department has become a vital partner for JFS in reaching and engaging youth, teens and their families. By combining resources, both departments have expanded support through programs like Kids Connection after-school care, which incorporates social-emotional learning and mindfulness activities tailored to younger children, and teen mental health workshops, which provide safe spaces for teens to discuss well-being, coping mechanisms, and resilience. They have also collaborated to offer fun, engaging summer programs through JCamps.  

In 2023, the Resiliency Roundtable was introduced as a cornerstone initiative, bringing together diverse leaders from across Austin’s Jewish community. This initiative focuses on sharing insights, resources, and best practices to support mental health from multiple perspectives, involving congregations, camps, youth groups, and educational organizations. Through regular roundtable discussions, the Youth & Teen Department contributes invaluable insights from working directly with Austin’s young people, helping tailor programs to meet real needs on the ground.  

This collaborative effort extends beyond the Youth & Teen Department and JFS alone. Ongoing partnerships within Shalom Austin, including those with departments dedicated to community engagement, Jewish education, health and wellness, and family programming, underscore Shalom Austin’s commitment to addressing youth mental health holistically. Each department plays a distinct role, working together to ensure that mental health support is integrated into nearly every aspect of youth and teen engagement—from school and camp settings to community events and family outreach.  

Additionally, Shalom Austin’s connection to the Greater Austin Jewish community has enabled coordinated efforts with other prominent local organizations. Collaborations with Jewish youth groups, local congregations, and community overnight camps have facilitated a seamless exchange of resources and ideas, empowering young people at every stage of their development. Together, these partnerships have brought specialized programs into religious schools, introduced college readiness and mental health resources, and expanded emotional support initiatives in settings like Camp Young Judaea, Greene Family Camp, and BBYO.  

This extensive network reflects a profound commitment to ensuring that no single organization bears the responsibility for youth mental health alone. Instead, each partner’s unique strengths create a strong, unified support system for this community that reaches far beyond individual programs. As JFS and the Youth & Teen Department look ahead, they remain dedicated to expanding these efforts in close collaboration with community partners throughout Shalom Austin and beyond. This ongoing partnership is not only a response to the mental health crisis, it is a lasting commitment to building a future where every young person in Austin’s Jewish community can thrive.