Youth Involvement
Magellan of Arizona is dedicated to improving the lives of youth who have experience living with mental illness and/or substance abuse.
MY LIFE (Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future Empowerment)
MY LIFE (Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future Empowerment) was founded in Arizona in 2008 with the support of the Arizona Department of Health Services/Division of Behavioral Health Services, and several central Arizona behavioral health provider partners. The group gives youth an opportunity use their experience, talents and voice to make positive changes in their lives, while helping others to do the same. MY LIFE consists of more than 100 youth, ages 13 to 23, who have experience with mental health, substance abuse, juvenile justice and/or foster care-related issues.
- Become a fan of MY LIFE on Facebook!
- Click HERE to view the MY LIFE fact sheet, which includes MY LIFE member responsibilities.
- Visit the MY LIFE events page to learn how you can get involved and support the youth!
- Media Room: Includes media coverage, video highlights and podcasts
- MY LIFE Discovery: An inspiring youth group for ages 8-13Contacy Information
About MY LIFE
MY LIFE is free program offered to any youth in the community and through regular meetings, local and national workshops, presentations and hip-hop performances the group EMPOWERS youth by giving them a VOICE in helping to improve youth and young adult programs and services in their communities.
Additionally, the group is responsible for advising behavioral health professionals, community stakeholders and government officials on the issues affecting child/adolescent and young adult programs and services, and providing outreach to help reduce the stigma associated with being a young person living with a mental illness and/or substance abuse issues. MY LIFE members provide support for their peers; develop critical skills in LEADERSHIP, mentoring and mental health resiliency; act as advisors to local officials to help improve services and systems that serve youth; and provide a much-needed voice in the community to COMBAT the STIGMA associated with behavioral health issues.
MY LIFE provides a venue where youth can overcome their personal challenges with SUPPORT from their PEERS, develop and hone their leadership skills, and use their voices to INSPIRE and create positive CHANGE for themselves and others in the community. In addition to helping youth individually, MY LIFE also has been very beneficial to programs and systems that serve youth by bringing about changes to IMPROVE CARE for youth in Arizona and across the nation.
Moreover, MY LIFE Arizona youth have been instrumental in starting four additional groups in southeastern Pennsylvania and two groups in Louisiana, with more than 400 youth now involved nationally in MY LIFE.
For more information or to attend a meeting, please contact:
Greg Dicharry
Youth Empowerment Director
MYLIFE@MagellanHealth.com
(602) 652-5833
Erica Goble
Child and Youth Services Liaison
EMGoble@MagellanHealth.com
(602) 572-5840
Para información en español por favor comuníquese con:
Alex Zavala
Directora, Reinversión y Participación Communitaria
MYLIFE@MagellanHealth.com
(602) 797-8288
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