Youth Push for Mental Health Change in Yuma: Forum to Address Gaps in Support
- Rural Ariziona Engagement (RAZE)
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
YUMA, AZ — Youth in small and rural towns like Yuma often face serious barriers to
accessing mental health support, and they’re ready to talk about it. That’s why Rural Arizona Engagement (RAZE) and Rural Arizona Action’s Advocates are hosting Building Healthy Futures for Youth, a free mental health forum in Yuma, on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arizona Western College’s main campus.
“We simply want to create a healthy and safe space where we can bring not just adults, but also youth, educators, and experts in the field of mental health, to have an open conversation about this topic, which so often carries a lot of stigma,” said Valeria Bejar, Statewide Education Coordinator for RAZE who works directly with students across Arizona.
The reality is that for too long, youth in rural areas have struggled in silence. Long travel distances to care, lack of nearby mental health professionals, and stigma around asking for help make it harder for them to get the support they need.
That became heartbreakingly clear when a young student in Pinal County died by suicide. The tragedy shook local students, many of whom turned to RAZE’s education team for support. In their grief, they found the determination to do something about the ongoing crisis of mental health. From those conversations, Building Healthy Futures for Youth was born.
Research supports what these youth already know. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), rural youth often lack local providers and face stigma when seeking help. These challenges lead to isolation and untreated mental health issues, but these aren’t just statistics. These are real-life experiences that educators like Jorge Flores have seen firsthand in Yuma.
“They don’t have many opportunities when it comes to wanting to do things like clubs, hobbies, things like that,” said Flores, RAZE’s Yuma Education Manager with over 25 years in the field. “So especially now, when there aren’t many places that are healthy and safe, we’re bringing that to the community.”
Building Healthy Futures for Youth is free and open to the public. Community members, youth, educators, and mental health advocates are encouraged to attend and be part of this important conversation. To register and learn more, visit raze.org/foryouth.
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