Tuesday, September 27, 2016

CARE Project 2017

Call to Participate in the Community Awareness, Research, and Education (CARE) Project 2017!

Mental health issues affect all of us in some way: about one in every five adult Americans is living with mental illness. And only 41% of people who had a mental illness in the past year received professional health care or other services, while many wait years to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental health problems.
To break down these barriers and increase mental health literacy, the Indiana Counseling Association (ICA) and Porter-Starke Services offer the Community Awareness, Research, and Education (CARE) Project for Indiana middle school, high school, and college undergraduate students. The CARE Project is designed to raise mental health awareness among students and communities, and to increase student involvement in research and the science of mental health.

For this initiative, students design and present projects focused on mental health. Students study a mental health topic, conduct original research, and present their work. All participating students are invited to present at the Indiana Counseling Association Conference in Columbus, IN during April 2017 (date TBD). A total of 51 students participated in the CARE Project last year. At the ICA Conference, students presented posters of their work on topics such as the effects of stereotyping, lying, and conformity.
The benefits for participating are numerous. When students present their work at the ICA Conference, they see how their research contributes to the community of mental health providers. Conducting and presenting original research is also a great addition to college applications. Doing research as undergraduates can lead to students presenting their work at other research conferences. Through their CARE Project work, students learn about the mind and mental health, how people perceive mental health, the intersection of mental health and communities, and more.
For educators new to research, this initiative has developed a Resource Guide that contains assignments, a project timeline, lessons, example topics, and more. The Resource Guide is meant to be helpful, not required, and is free online at our website: http://www.porterstarke.org/careproject. Virtual meetings can be offered to orient new participants as well. No costs are associated with participating, except for transportation to the ICA Conference. All projects must be completed by April 1, 2017 to be included in the ICA Conference.
Join us for this fantastic opportunity to raise mental health awareness and enhance interest in the sciences and mental health fields! More information is available in the attached project overview. Sign up on our online contact page to receive updated conference information and learn more.

 

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