Today’s youth face unprecedented challenges—from media pressures that erode self-esteem to societal issues like violence and poverty that create feelings of despair or uncertainty. Yet, most adults who help shape the lives of young people, such as parents, educators, and youth-serving professionals, do not have the trauma-informed training necessary to address mental health challenges.
In Georgia, county data shows there is only one mental health provider for every 1,000 residents (County Health Rankings). This alarming statistic underscores a critical gap in care for teens and resources for professionals.
Eager to learn, nearly 400 youth-serving professionals representing 48 Georgia counties and over 150 organizations attended the 2025 Reaching Teens Summit to discover a strengths-based approach to effectively engage teenagers and address various behavioral risks and mental health issues. Attendees embraced the opportunity to bring these strategies back to their organizations to help improve outcomes for teens and facilitate change in their communities.
Dr. Ken Ginsburg, a nationally recognized teen expert and author of the Reaching Teens tool kit, provided a compelling keynote address on how to build on the strengths of youth who have endured hardships, setting the stage for a day dedicated to youth empowerment.
The CEU-accredited summit offered dynamic breakout sessions led by trauma and mental health experts sharing best practices and actionable strategies to build supportive, trusting relationships with youth, respond to their needs compassionately, and promote an environment that encourages healing and growth.
Wellroot Family Services developed the Reaching Teens training series, endorsed by Dr. Ginsburg, to help youth-serving professionals become the caring adults’ teenagers deserve. In partnership with Resilient Georgia and summit hosts, The North Georgia United Methodist Conference Center, the one-day workshop marked the start of a larger movement, with organizers proudly wearing “Radically Calm” t-shirts to symbolize community.
Thanks to funding from the Mental Health Funders Collaborative (MHFC), Wellroot can continue its work to strengthen Georgia’s trauma-informed workforce and expand mental health support for young people statewide. The implementation of Reaching Teens will extend beyond individual training but will reach broader networks of youth-serving professionals including educators, faith community leaders, social workers, foster parents and more.
Raising awareness about mental health is a shared responsibility. As a community, your support is invaluable in equipping families, educators, and professionals with the tools and knowledge to make a lasting impact on teens who have experienced trauma.
Visit www.wellroot.org to learn more about how we can work together to strengthen resilience in our communities.
