Earlier this month, Beth H. Goldsmith, The Associated’s Chair of the Board, sat down with industry leaders and Associated agency execs to talk about mental health and how it is quickly becoming the next health crisis.

As we look back on the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and look toward the terror unfolding in front of us in Ukraine, the state of our collective mental health, particularly those of the younger generations, has created a point of concern for many of us.

Within the last couple years, mental health challenges have soared.

Thank you to our 4Front teens who candidly shared how the past two years impacted their lives and their mental health. And thanks to our panel of experts.

• Tricia Stern, Vice President, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies 
• Joan Grayson Cohen, Executive Director, Jewish Community Services (JCS) — Jewish Community Services provides programs and services that help people of all ages and across diverse needs, from employment assistance, mentorship programs and mental health support.  
• Emily Stern, Chief Program Officer, JCC of Greater Baltimore (JCC) — The Jewish Community Center acts as a central hub for our Jewish community in Park Heights and Owings Mills. The center creates meaningful experiences inspired by Jewish values. Their J Camp and 4Front programs are focused on the younger generation and finding a sense of belonging. 
• Rabbi Ari Israel, Executive Director, Maryland Hillel — Our Hillel system is a vital resource for our college students looking to find, or maintain, their Jewish connection. Maryland Hillel, along with Goucher Hillel, Towson Hillel, Johns Hopkins Hillel and UMBC Hillel, and others in our system, provide a central foundation and sense of community for our Jewish college students.