SLS 17RS-2607 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 168
BY SENATOR BARROW
SENATE. Commends the service and contributions of Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring
Future Empowerment (MY LIFE) and recognizes June 7, 2017, as MY LIFE Youth Day
at the Louisiana State Capitol.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend the service and contributions of Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future
3 Empowerment (MY LIFE) and to recognize June 7, 2017, as MY LIFE Youth Day
4 at the Louisiana State Capitol.
5 WHEREAS, involving youth in the process of designing and delivering behavioral
6 health services is a relatively new practice, but it is becoming more widely accepted
7 following support from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
8 (SAMHSA) and other experts; and
9 WHEREAS, professionals are recognizing that involving youth in the systems that
10 serve them can improve outcomes for youth, helping them develop relationships, acquire
11 new skills, improve behavior, build self-confidence, instill positive social supports, and
12 cultivate leadership skills and they also have noted the value in providing opportunities for
13 youth to share their opinions and ideas to help shape policies, programs, and services for
14 their own care and for the broader community – youth involvement not only benefits the
15 individual youth involved, but can also be very beneficial to programs and systems that serve
16 youth; and
17 WHEREAS, to address this need, MY LIFE, a free community youth program for
18 youth between the ages of 13 and 23 years who have experience with mental health,
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SLS 17RS-2607 ORIGINAL
1 substance abuse, foster care-related and/or other challenges, was established in Arizona in
2 2008 by Magellan Health; and
3 WHEREAS, through regular meetings, special events, presentations, and
4 performances, MY LIFE members provide support for their peers; develop critical skills in
5 leadership, mentoring, and mental health resiliency; act as advisors to Magellan and local
6 officials to help improve services and systems that serve youth; and provide a much needed
7 voice in the community to combat the stigma associated with behavioral health issues; and
8 WHEREAS, there are currently fifteen MY LIFE groups in six states with more than
9 five hundred youth regularly involved; and
10 WHEREAS, in July 2012, MY LIFE Louisiana was established by Magellan
11 Behavioral Health in Louisiana with the support of the Louisiana Behavioral Health
12 Partnership and other organizations with MY LIFE groups being established in Baton Rouge
13 and Shreveport, and since that time seventy-five monthly MY LIFE Louisiana meetings have
14 been held with an average of twenty-five youth attending each meeting; and
15 WHEREAS, in 2016, Magellan Health partnered with Ekhaya Youth Project to
16 enhance and expand MY LIFE in Louisiana, starting new MY LIFE groups in Lafayette and
17 New Orleans in April 2016, and groups serving other parts of the state soon to follow; and
18 WHEREAS, three previous MY LIFE Louisiana Youth Day at the Capitol events
19 were held May 8, 2014, May 7, 2015, and May 5, 2016, in Baton Rouge, celebrating
20 National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day with over six hundred people taking part
21 in these uplifting events that included a youth empowerment rally on the capitol steps with
22 inspirational speeches by MY LIFE Youth and Louisiana state representatives and senators
23 with the events being featured on five television segments which aired on the local CBS
24 affiliate the days of the event; and
25 WHEREAS, the fourth annual MY LIFE Louisiana Youth Day at the Capitol will be
26 held on Wednesday, June 7, 2017; and
27 WHEREAS, youth from around the state will be participating in this event that will
28 provide youth a truly unique hands-on educational experience to learn about our state
29 government process first hand by visiting the Louisiana State Capitol, interacting with state
30 legislators and participating in other activities, an event that is open to all Louisiana youth
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1 and will not only be an educational and empowering experience for youth, but will also help
2 them to develop leadership skills, social skills, and greater self-confidence; and
3 WHEREAS, MY LIFE Louisiana programs and activities have flourished due to the
4 great support and partnerships of other youth serving organizations including Magellan
5 Health, Ekhaya Youth Project, Louisiana Behavioral Health Partnership, Family Youth and
6 Service Center, Goodwill of North Louisiana, Capitol Area Human Services, City Year,
7 Youth Oasis, Department of Juvenile Justice, Dream True, faith-based groups and other
8 organizations.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
10 does hereby commend the service and contributions of MY LIFE (Magellan Youth Leaders
11 Inspiring Future Empowerment) and does hereby recognize Wednesday, June 7, 2017, as
12 MY LIFE Youth Day at the Louisiana State Capitol.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to MY
14 LIFE.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
SR 168 Original 2017 Regular Session Barrow
Commends the service and contributions of Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future
Empowerment (MY LIFE) and recognizes June 7, 2017, as MY LIFE Youth Day at the
Louisiana State Capitol.
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