‘The Library is so Much More Than Books’: Teen Mental Health Services in Public Libraries

Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period, characterized by high rates of mental health concerns, yet few teens receive treatment. Public libraries support teens by providing them with access to technological resources and have recently been providing mental health services. Digital mental health (DMH) services may help libraries provide scalable mental health solutions for their teen patrons and could be well positioned to address the mental health needs of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic (HURE) teens and those most experiencing inequities. In this talk, we will discuss the partnership developed between the Chicagoland Public Library and a research team at Northwestern as well as their collaborative work on implementing a digital anxiety intervention for teens at the library.

Speakers:
Ashley A Knapp, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Robert Simmons, MA
Director, Social Services and Public Safety
Oak Park Public Library