PreTeen & Teen Youth Mental Health Awareness Day At The Capital
The South Carolina PreTeen & Teen Youth Mental Health Awareness Day at the State House is a statewide call to awareness, advocacy, prevention, and action focused on the mental and emotional well-being of South Carolina's young people. The event will be held Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, SC.
This important gathering will bring together more than 40 organizations and community partners, including mental and behavioral health organizations, faith-based organizations, youth-serving agencies, educators, school counselors, parents, advocates, community leaders, and state and local leaders. Together, participants will send a unified message that youth mental health must be treated as a priority alongside academic achievement.
The urgency is clear. Across the nation, young people continue to report significant levels of depression, anxiety, persistent sadness, hopelessness, bullying, trauma, violence, and suicidal thoughts. In South Carolina, many young people experiencing serious mental health challenges are still not receiving the treatment and support they need. These challenges do not stop when a student enters the classroom. Mental and emotional distress can affect attendance, concentration, behavior, relationships, academic performance, school completion, and a young person's overall quality of life.
The purpose of this event is to sound the alarm to state leaders, legislators, school superintendents, boards of education, educators, families, and communities while also emphasizing solutions. We are calling for stronger prevention and early intervention, increased access to school and community-based mental health resources, bullying and suicide prevention, greater family engagement, and stronger collaboration among schools, behavioral health providers, faith communities, youth organizations, and policymakers.
Most importantly, this event will create a platform for young people to speak for themselves. Schools and counselors are being encouraged to identify student leaders to participate in spoken word, original poetry, mental health awareness poster contests, presentations, and other youth-led activities. Selected participants and contest winners will have opportunities to receive cash prizes and other incentives while using their creativity and experiences to communicate what today's young people need from the adults and institutions responsible for supporting them.
The October 10 gathering is also the signature observance connected to the proposed designation of October 2026 as South Carolina PreTeen & Teen Youth Mental Health Awareness Month. The larger vision is to encourage schools and communities throughout South Carolina to use October to promote mental wellness, educate families, strengthen student support systems, elevate youth voices, and connect young people with resources.
This initiative is about more than hosting an event or recognizing an awareness month. It is about creating a statewide movement that turns awareness into action. Every child deserves to feel heard, supported, valued, safe, and hopeful about their future.
On October 10, we are asking South Carolina to stand together—youth, parents, educators, counselors, faith leaders, mental health professionals, organizations, and government leaders—to declare that the mental health of our children matters.
Mental Health Matters. Youth Voices Matter. Their Future Matters.
Event Links
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3791235-0
