ServMO launches Youth Mental Health Corps Task Force

ServMO held its first Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC) Task Force meeting on Wednesday, October 28 in Springfield, launching a year-long process to design a customized YMHC program for the state of Missouri.

YMHC leverages national service through AmeriCorps to expand support for youth while creating meaningful career pathways for young adults. The program will train young adults between 18 and 29 years old to provide near-peer mental health support to young people in schools, healthcare clinics and community organizations.

“Addressing youth mental health requires innovative partnerships and collective action,” said Dr. Bennett Boggs, Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. “This task force represents a vital collaboration that will not only establish career pathways for AmeriCorps members but also ensure that young Missourians have support systems in the places they live, learn, and grow.” 

Task force members will assist with determining the state’s top youth mental health challenges and the appropriate evidence-based interventions to address them, while mapping the workforce pathways that AmeriCorps members will pursue while serving Missouri communities.

“We’re grateful for the support of the Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest for supporting this important work in Missouri,” said Brittany Crabtree, Executive Director of ServMO. “Without their support we would not have been able to bring this cross-sector task force together to help build the future behavioral health workforce while meeting youth mental health needs today.”

Task force members include:

• Sarah Barton, Clinton
• Melody Boling, Jefferson City
• Ciara Cheatum, Jefferson City
• Mark Cowsert, Columbia
• Shakira Cozart, St. Louis
• Brittany Crabtree, Jefferson City
• Kasie DeLay, Dexter
• Melissa Head, Jefferson City
• Paula Heath, Moberly
• Shanel Hicks, Raytown
• Jerron Johnson, Columbia
• Samona Kosfeld, Booneville
• Cindy Lange, Cape Girardeau
• Denise McDrummond, Seymour
• Craig Morris, St. Louis
• Jebariz Pitts, Columbia
• Gerald Raines, St. Louis
• Twyla Redd, St. Louis
• Poli Rijos, St. Louis
• Jillian Rose, St. Louis
• Joe Sadewasser, St. Louis
• Donna Sheets, Jefferson City
• Suzanne Strathman, Blue Springs
• Brandon Tucker, Farmington
• Dani Wilson, St. Louis
• Lexi Wright, Kansas City
• Natasha Young, Kansas City

More information, including a readiness assessment prepared by the Wyman Center, is available at https://serv.mo.gov/youth-mental-health-corps. For specific questions about the Youth Mental Health Corps or the task force, contact Emily Beers, ServMO's Communications and Outreach Manager, at servmo@dhewd.mo.gov.

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