BRITE youth

We asked 85 Santa Paula High School students about their favorite healthy coping skills, and this is what they had to say. Thank you for sharing with us! ❤️

https://youtu.be/Qit-NC-hGpw

Happy International Women’s Day from BRITE! ☀️ As a woman-led organization, we make the intentional choice today and every day to value and celebrate women, in all of our beautiful differences and diversity, and to celebrate all of our achievements throughout history.

Tener aficiones que nos ayuden a expresarnos es importante, no solo para nuestra calidad de vida sino también para nuestra salud mental. Abrazar las artes nos da una forma de procesar las emociones que llevamos dentro y transformarlas en algo que refleje quiénes somos. https://ow.ly/RXCB50YoSO4.

Created by a student from Rio Mesa High School and our BRITE Media Team, Winter 2025. PSA - Alcohol Consequences

We love this PSA created by a Rio Mesa High School student about the negative consequences of drinking alcohol! Thank you for speaking out! ❤️

https://youtube.com/shorts/DD9b9vWm1Vw

Contrary to popular belief, cannabis CAN be addictive. Approximately 1 in 10 people who use cannabis will become addicted. When they start before age 18, the rate of addiction rises to 1 in 6. Visit PositivePaths.org/cannabis/overview to learn more about cannabis and addiction.

Letting teens drink alcohol at home may lead to heavier alcohol use as young adults, study finds Clinical psychologist Lisa Damour, author of "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers," shares advice for parents.

Parents might think that letting their teen try alcohol at home can diminish curiosity about alcohol & help promote safe drinking. But a new study found that providing drinks, or even letting kids taste alcohol, is linked to heavier drinking & other issues down the line.
https://ow.ly/Nxwa50Ymb4c

Our Wellness Arts Showcase will feature youth advocate & performer Haeun Hwang! Haeun is a 17-year-old who is passionate about mental health awareness and the power of creativity to bring people together. Join us on 3/14 for performances, artwork, community resources & more! brite.link/showcase.

We interviewed Santa Paula High School students and asked them why they chose not to vape, and what they like to do instead. These are their responses! Creat... PSA - Santa Paula High School's Healthy Choices

We asked Santa Paula High School students why they choose not to vape and what they like to do instead. Thank you for speaking up about making healthy choices! ❤️

https://youtu.be/7JYnLlHWU3g

Is any amount of alcohol safe? It depends on your taste for risk. Amid conflicting studies on the safety and healthiness of alcohol, experts say it really may depend on your genetics and overall health.

In recent years scientists have debated how much alcohol is safe for the average adult to drink. There's no question that too much is unhealthy, but what counts as too much is still being debated.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/02/17/alcohol-health-effects-risks/11221162002/

Brain – Cannabis FactCheck Learn about the impacts of cannabis on the developing adolescent brain.

Teen cannabis users often have less self-control, which can lead to unsafe behavior. Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing until around age 25, cannabis use in the teen years can reduce impulse control and emotional regulation. Learn more at PositivePaths.org/cannabis/brain.

Our Wellness Arts Showcase will feature The Free Will Chamber Orchestra! They are a small orchestra based in Ventura County & their goal is to share original, contemporary classical music with the world. Join us on 3/14 for performances, artwork, community resources & more! brite.link/showcase.

Participar en la creatividad aporta alegría al cerebro. Puede calmar la mente de forma saludable, ofreciendo una herramienta segura para afrontar la situación que reduce la dependencia de alternativas dañinas como el consumo de sustancias. Visita: WellnessEveryDay.venturacounty.gov/es.

We had a blast supporting the Simi Valley Youth Council's Youth Impact Forum yesterday! Students participated in our breakout session about how to craft & deliver a PSA & will now take that knowledge back to their schools to create PSAs on bullying, substance use prevention, mental health, and more.

Meet Gracie, our wonderful CLU 4A Cause intern during Fall 2025, and learn about how she got involved with BRITE! BRITE Promo - Meet Gracie!

Meet Gracie, our wonderful CLU 4A Cause intern from Fall 2025, and learn about how she got involved with BRITE! Are you interested in getting involved with BRITE? Learn more and sign up here: www.briteyouth.org/engagementopportunities.

https://youtube.com/shorts/LPBDu7pGsrI

Having hobbies that help us express ourselves is important, not only for our quality of life but also for our mental health. Embracing the arts gives us a way to process the emotions we carry within and transform them into something that reflects who we are. For more visit https://ow.ly/cvyX50YhPG0.

Stay on the right path! ☀️ In addition to worse school performance, cannabis use in the teen years has also been linked to lower income, higher unemployment & a lower satisfaction with life. Help yourself have the best future and put your best foot forward! PositivePaths.org/cannabis/overview.

For today's #Wbw post, we're sharing photos of Balboa MS students participating in Mind Over Matter: Making Smart Choices about Substance Use! The workshop includes questions & discussion about alcohol, cannabis, vaping & how to protect the developing teen brain. Thanks for having us, Balboa! ❤️

CDC report finds teens use drugs — often alone — to ease stress and anxiety Nearly half of surveyed teens said they turned to drugs to "stop worrying about a problem or forget bad memories."

This is why mental health support & healthy coping skills are SO important. Check in with the kids in your life to make sure they have the support they need & know they are not alone. Model healthy coping skills by taking care of your own mental health ❤️

https://ow.ly/X7cs50YfvqE

❣️Calling all artists & performers❣️ Do you want to share your work with your community? We are currently accepting artwork & performances for our upcoming Wellness Arts Showcase in March! Learn more & sign up: www.briteyouth.org/mentalhealth. RSVP for the event: www.briteyouth.org/connections.

Did you know that taking deep breaths grows the thoughtful pre-frontal cortex part of your brain, helps you to feel more calm and capable, improves self-control, and helps you find solutions to problems? Try some square breathing this weekend and see how you feel! ❤️

Los niños están influenciados por muchas cosas: amigos, cultura pop. Aun así, los padres y cuidadores siguen siendo la influencia más importante en sus decisiones sobre el consumo de alcohol. Habla con tus hijos desde temprano y con frecuencia sobre el alcohol y qué hacer en situaciones inseguras.

Engaging in creativity helps build problem-solving skills & brings joy to the brain. It can calm the mind in healthy ways, offering a safe coping tool that reduces reliance on harmful alternatives like substance use. For mental health resources, visit WellnessEveryDay.venturacounty.gov.

Gracie, our wonderful CLU 4A Cause intern, wrote a new blog post about her experience working with BRITE. Gracie's background as a criminal justice major fit well with our values of educating, empowering & uplifting the youth in our community. Read the post here: https://ow.ly/Ugeq50YbXWM.

90% of Americans with a substance use disorder began using substances before the age of 18. Using alcohol and/or drugs as a teen can have a long-term impact on memory & attention span because the brain doesn't stop developing until around age 25. Here are 4 ways to protect your 🧠:

Staying motivated can be difficult, but sometimes all you need is a small push to become the best version of yourself. Being kind to yourself can strongly influence a positive mindset. Saying, ‘I am strong & determined,’ in the morning can help you feel confident & empowered. ☀️

Todo es un proceso. En este episodio Erika aborda el tema de la importancia de hablar sobre el uso de sustancias desde temprana edad, comenzando en la escuel... Plática con Café: Hablando de las Sustancias / Talking About Substances

Everything is a process. In this episode of Plática con Café, Erika discusses the importance of talking proactively about substance use from an early age, starting in elementary school, rather than waiting for problems to arise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-RIrbsTPW4

Join us on Saturday, March 14th from 3 - 6pm at OPAC for a FREE, inspiring event celebrating youth voices, creativity & mental health empowerment at BRITE Connections: Wellness Arts Showcase! Come out & help us celebrate the power of artistic expression! RSVP at brite.link/showcase.

Turning to alcohol to quiet stress or escape everyday pressures can seem like an easy solution, but it often just pushes things deeper. Healing starts when we allow those emotions to come to the surface instead of burying them. Resources in Ventura County: WellnessEveryDay.venturacounty.gov 💜

Your voice matters! Help shape the future of behavioral health in Ventura County. Register & learn more: https://ow.ly/OjCU50Y59yH.

¡Tu voz importa! Ayúdanos a dar forma al futuro de la salud mental en el Condado de Ventura. https://ow.ly/KL8r50Y59yG.

Brain – Cannabis FactCheck Learn about the impacts of cannabis on the developing adolescent brain.

Because the teen brain continues to develop until around age 25, heavy use of cannabis in the teen years can stunt brain activity & cause a reduction in IQ. Many teens are exposed to the substance without knowing the long-term repercussions. Learn more at PositivePaths.org/cannabis/brain.