May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Our Towns, Our Teens


Our teens, deserve our best effort!

To see the full reports from YOUR county in Illinois or all others visit iys.cprd.illinois.edu

Did you know…(FACT)

That 23% of 10th grade students in Stephenson County have seriously considered attempting suicide? And 30% of 10th grade students in Jo Daviess County felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two week or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities?

That 20% of Jo Daviess County 12th grade students have reported that in the last 12 months, while in a dating relationship their partner put them down and tried to control them and 11% were punched, kicked, slapped or threatened? And 7% of students in Stephenson County have reported being punched, kicked, slapped or threatened?

That 53% of 8th grade students in Stephenson County and 48% of 8th grade students in Jo Davies County have been bullied at least one time in the last 12 months (Which as noted in the report as the youth mature it is reduced by 12th grade to 29% in Stephenson County and 34% in Jo Daviess County)?

In Stephenson County, 21% of 8th grade students reported that they have been bias-bullied* in the last 12 months due to appearance or a disability which by 12th grade reduced to 1% as these students matured. In Jo Daviess County, 17% of 8th grade students reported that they have been bias-bullied due to appearance or a disability which by 12th grade reduced to 10%.

Want more information? We can help.

Visit fhn.org/IYS for the Jo Daviess County report summary or the view the complete county report for Stephenson County, Jo Daviess County and all other counties in Illinois at: iys.cprd.illinois.edu

Visit the Illinois Youth Survey Facebook page for up to date information at: facebook.com/CPRDIYS. To get help visit: www.samhsa.gov.

Funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

*Bias-based bullying is when children are bullied due to their social identity, whether that's race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

Generation Rx Program Available for Teen Groups

The FHN Family Counseling Center has received funding through the Illinois Department of Human Services to implement Generation Rx, a national educational initiative to promote safe medication practices in an effort to prevent the misuse of prescription drugs. The local team is scheduling free educational programs through the end of June.

The Generation Rx program is offered through a partnership between the Cardinal Health Foundation and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. The curriculum includes engaging, hands-on activities that focus on teaching teens safe medication practices, as well as techniques for turning down the invitation to misuse.

Studies show that the average age a young adult begins to mishandle prescription drugs - through overuse, sharing prescriptions or using prescription drugs to "manage" life - is in his or her early 20s, so this program aims to reach teens with good information and prevent misuse.

The FHN Family Counseling Center is offering this program free of charge to groups in Stephenson and JoDaviess counties, including the Boys and Girls Club of Freeport and Stephenson County, church youth groups and more. For more information or to schedule a presentation for a group, contact FHN Family Counseling Center Prevention and Education Supervisor Beth Johnson at 815-599-7310 or the FHN Family Counseling Center at 815-599-7300.