Get Your Green On 2025 Campaign - Celebrating 10 years!

The Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, in partnership with Healthier Delray Beach and Birth to 22: United for Brighter Futures, is celebrating the "Get Your Green On" (GYGO) campaign's 10th Anniversary! Everyone in Palm Beach County is invited to wear green on May 15, 2025, in recognition of the importance of Mental Health Awareness and Trauma-Informed Care. Mayor Maria Marino and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners are scheduled to issue a proclamation during the board meeting on May 6, 2025, declaring May 2025 Mental Health Awareness and Trauma-Informed Care Month in Palm Beach County.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of GYGO, Palm Tran has designed a Mental Health Awareness bus wrap, showcasing the campaign and emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness. The Palm Tran bus wrap will be on display for photo opportunities, beginning May 6, 2025. Additionally, Birth to 22 Future Leaders youth advisory council members are curating a Mental Wellness/Coping skills playlist for all to listen to and the Board of County Commissioners will host a Mental Health Workshop on May 20. The annual lighting of the Historic Courthouse and Four Points buildings will take place for the month of May, highlighting the green color recognized nationwide as a symbol of mental health awareness efforts.

With the theme of "Glow, Illuminate Your Best Self," the annual Palm Beach County Youth Summit on April 12, 2025, gave a preview to the month of events scheduled as part of the Get Your Green On campaign. The Youth Summit, a free event for Palm Beach County middle school and high school students, provided a day of inspiring discussions, networking, fun activities, and action-driven workshops.

On May 10, 2025, the Youth Services Department's Youth and Family Counseling Program will offer the 2nd Annual Mental Health Family Day Camp at Okeeheelee Nature Center in West Palm Beach. This fun, family event will give Palm Beach County residents the opportunity to engage in a full day of therapeutic group workshops and outdoor activities for families with children ages 5-17. Registration, which is required for participation, took place through April 17.

Another GYGO favorite returns to stoke friendly competition while focusing on mental health supports: "Hunt '25." Susan Foley of the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition, Courtney Marx of Alpert Jewish Family Service, and Angie Daire of the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, organized the "Hunt '25," which will be on the Goosechase app platform for all of Palm Beach County to join in this GYGO-themed scavenger hunt. The mission will help the community learn about the resources available to them regarding Mental Health and Trauma-Informed Care.

Additionally, the Youth Services Department's Residential Treatment and Family Counseling Education and Training Center and Risk Management's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will hold five Lunch & Learns. These events will offer presentations on topics related to mental health, such as "Introduction to Mental Health," "School to Prison Pipeline," "Managing Anxiety & Depression," "Acculturation," and "Eating Disorders." To register, please contact Cristal Montepeque at cmontepeque@pbc.gov or 561-233-4460. A mental health coloring and activity book is available at this website.

This will be Get Your Green On's biggest campaign yet! In addition to the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, this countywide campaign spans multiple county departments, including the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Library System, Water Utilities Department, Environmental Resources Management Department, Community Services and Public Affairs. Also included among organizers and planners are: NAMI Palm Beach County, BeWell PBC, City of Delray Beach, Achievement Centers for Children & Families, United Way of Palm Beach County, City of Lake Park, Alpert Jewish Family and Children's Service, Compass, City of Boynton Beach, Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County, Prime Time Palm Beach County and the Center for Child Counseling.

Everyone is invited to Get Your Green On during the month of May! Find events to join at www.getyourgreenon.org, and share pictures, using the hashtags #GYGO and #GYGO365.

The Palm Beach County Youth Services Department's mission is to grow brighter futures by providing quality service, education, and access to resources and opportunities. All services provided by the Youth Services Department are FREE and further the mission by empowering youth and families to realize their full potential and be the driving force of a thriving community. The Youth Services Department is certified in The Sanctuary® Model of Trauma-Informed Care, which promotes an environment emphasizing the seven commitments of nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, open communication, social responsibility, democracy, and growth and change. For more information about the free supports provided by the Youth Services Department, you may visit the website.