Dominique Freeman

The co-design non-negotiables behind Hear/SAY: BHT Impact Creator’s Collective.

by Dominique Freeman, BHT Impact In consultation with Zoe W. and Leanne M. At Behavioral Health Tech 2025, we had the privilege of showcasing a youth-led research exhibit with AIM Youth Mental Health. AIM bridges the gap between youth mental health research and access to care by finding, funding, and implementing evidence-based treatments and empowering youth to discover their own mental health solutions.  Beyond the collaboration itself, what stood out was the impact of having young people...

Reflections on meaningful youth engagement and why it matters Is it just me, or is youth engagement everywhere? It's featured in our proposals, in the mission statements on our websites, or as an agenda item in our strategy meetings. Well, that's because many of us truly believe in it and want to create environments where young people feel seen, heard, and valued.   But the hard truth is, despite our best intentions, many youth-serving systems have been slow to fully embrace the fact that...