On May 21, 2026, more than 180 youth, young adults, families, caregivers, advocates, providers, and community partners filled the room for Youth Mental Health Action Day 2026, including over 50 youth and young adults who helped lead the energy, conversation, and connection throughout the day.
This year’s theme, “Piecing It Together: A Mosaic Made Strong with Every Voice,” showed up across every part of the event, centering lived experience, creativity, and collaboration.
The East Lansing High School Band, funded through the City of Lansing Arts & Culture Mini Pocket Grant, provided live music throughout the day, creating a sense of warmth in the space. The day opened with a keynote from Yarden Blumstein, Executive Director of Resolution Services Center for Central Michigan, who set the tone with a call for curiosity, openness, and shared understanding.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined participants to present the Mental Health Day for Children, Youth, and Their Families proclamation, co-authored by ACMH and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, marking a meaningful statewide recognition of youth mental health.
Participants created messages of hope for youth in inpatient settings through the Notes of Hope activity and connected with organizations from across Michigan at a Resource Fair featuring partners including Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health, Michigan Minds, WKAR, The Family Center, Soluna, Michigan Medicine Adolescent Health Initiative, NAMI Lansing, Kinship Care, Adoptive Family Support Network, and Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council.
Breakout spaces offered space to create, reflect, and connect. The Mosaic Studio, led by Amelia McGraw and Natalie Kay-Flaherty, featured a collaborative art therapy mosaic. Mosaic Moments, led by Kyla Virquiz and Shawna Kassuba, provided grounding and mindfulness activities. Voices That Shape the Mosaic, hosted by ASK Family Services Calling All Youth, centered youth-led conversations and reflection.
The day closed with a youth and young adult panel, moderated by Rev. Demario Holden, featuring Jay’don Abernathy, Felix Owinga, Corissa Pittman, Quynh Song, Isabel Stasa, and Lakshmi Vivisen, grounding the day in lived experience and youth voice.
Youth Mental Health Action Day is a collaboration between the Association for Children’s Mental Health (ACMH), Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN), and Youth United.
Photo Gallery
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Event Sponsors
We are grateful to our sponsors for their support in making Youth Mental Health Action Day possible.
