We’re used to navigating urgent needs here at Bates Mission—cleaning supplies, hygiene products, birthday celebrations, and more. But there’s one crisis we can’t see as easily, even though it impacts nearly every young adult we serve:
Mental health.
And in May—Mental Health Awareness Month—we’re taking a moment to talk about it.
What the Data Tells Us
According to studies, up to 80% of youth in foster care experience serious mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Fewer than 25% of those youth receive the treatment they need. Once they age out of care—often around their 18th birthday—access to support becomes even more scarce.
For most of us, early adulthood comes with a few cushions: a safety net of family, stable housing, maybe even a familiar doctor or therapist. For foster youth, those support structures often disappear the moment they age out of care.
Suddenly, they’re on their own—and struggling silently.
Why It Matters to Us
At Bates Mission, we may not be mental health providers—but we are mental health supporters.
We see every day how the smallest gestures of care can make a real emotional difference. A birthday cake kit might seem simple, but to a young adult who’s never been celebrated before, it can represent love, stability, and connection.
Life skills classes, clean towels, and a consistent point of contact—these aren’t just practical tools. They’re grounding. They send a message: You’re seen. You’re valued. You’re not alone.
The Theme That Inspires Us: In Every Story, There’s Strength
This year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chose a theme that perfectly captures what we see in our work: “In Every Story, There’s Strength.”
The young adults we serve aren’t just statistics or cautionary tales. They are resilient, resourceful individuals writing their next chapters—with very little margin for error. And yet, they keep showing up. They keep trying. They keep going.
Their strength isn’t always loud or flashy, but it’s there. In every request for help. In every question they ask during life skills class. In every quiet moment when they allow someone new to earn their trust.
How We’re Responding
We’re not therapists—but we are listeners, connectors, and advocates.
And we’ve designed our programs to do more than check a box. Every service we offer is rooted in the belief that emotional wellness and practical support go hand in hand. When you give someone the basic tools for stability, you also create space for healing.
Here’s how our programs support mental wellness indirectly:
- Sheila’s Supply Closet: Helps reduce stress around hygiene and household needs
- Gifts & Celebrations: Reinforces self-worth through acknowledgment and joy
- Life Skills Training: Builds confidence and self-efficacy in a safe, peer-supported space
- Emergency Response: Helps young adults stay supported in a moment of crisis
What You Can Do
If you’ve ever wondered how to support the mental health of youth in transition, know this: It starts with showing up.
Your donations fund more than supplies—they build trust, connection, and a growing sense of belonging. And that’s the kind of foundation emotional healing is built on.
So this Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite you to do two things:
- Honor the strength behind the story—not just the struggle
- Stay involved—because the next chapter is still being written, and your presence helps shape it
We’re proud to be a small part of these stories. And even prouder to do it with you.
If you’d like to help us continue this work, you can donate, share our mission, or follow along at batesmission.org.