As conversations around mental health take center stage this May, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is strengthening its commitment to youth mental wellness through expanded trauma‑informed practices across its nationwide network. The effort ensures more young people have access to trusted adults, safe environments, and the critical supports they need to thrive.
Serving more than 4 million youth annually through over 5,500 Club sites, Boys & Girls Clubs meet young people where they are during the out‑of‑school hours when it matters most. In 2024 alone, Clubs reached 4.2 million youth across the country and around the world, providing consistent relationships, enriching experiences, and a strong sense of belonging.
“Mental wellness is foundational to how young people learn, form relationships, and see what is possible for their future,” said Dr. Jennifer Bateman, senior vice president of Youth Development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “A trauma‑informed approach helps our staff recognize what youth may be carrying and respond with care, consistency, and understanding. It allows us to create environments where young people feel safe, supported, and empowered to build resilience.”
Across communities of every size, Boys & Girls Clubs provide safe, welcoming spaces where kids and teens learn to manage emotions, develop healthy coping strategies, and form meaningful connections with caring adults.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s trauma‑informed strategy focuses on strengthening staff capabilities and Club environments to better support young people experiencing stress, adversity, or trauma. In partnership with leading organizations, the legacy youth nonprofit is scaling training and resources across its network, equipping tens of thousands of youth development professionals with tools to integrate trauma‑informed practices into daily interactions, programming, and policies. These efforts help reinforce emotional safety, promote positive mental wellness, and expand access to support when young people need it most.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s trauma‑informed approach is delivering meaningful outcomes for youth and caregivers alike:
- 90% of Club youth report feeling comfortable talking to a trusted adult at their Club
- 4 in 5 say they know how to calm themselves when stressed
- 72% report they can stay calm in stressful situations
- 97% of caregivers say their child feels safe at the Club
- 94% of caregivers say they can rely on their Club for support
“Graduation is a major milestone, but it’s not the finish line,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Young people need more than a diploma — they need the confidence, skills and connections to enter adulthood ready for what’s next. Today, 97% of Club members expect to graduate high school, according to our Youth Right Now survey, a powerful sign of their ambition and optimism. At a time when the path after graduation feels less certain for many teens, Boys & Girls Clubs, with support from our partners, are helping young people build the workforce and life skills to succeed — and strengthening the talent readiness America needs.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s youth wellness efforts are strengthened by a network of national and local partners working together to expand access to mental health support. These collaborations help scale trauma‑informed training, integrate wellness into daily Club experiences, and foster environments that promote emotional safety, resilience, and belonging.
- Kohl’s Cares’ support helps young people build lifelong habits that strengthen physical health, mental wellness, and social-emotional development. The investment in trauma-informed practices enables Boys & Girls Clubs to deliver care through a strength-based model that aims to minimize potential emotionally unsafe or triggering experiences. This partnership expands trauma-informed staff training and enhances mental health services that support and empower youth social and emotional well-being in Clubs across the country. Kohl’s Cares’ funding is made possible by the Kohl’s Cares Goods For Good® merchandise program.
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies continue to exemplify the power of a national commitment to address youth mental health by helping Boys & Girls Clubs of America scale trauma‑informed practices nationwide. This investment strengthens the capacity of Club staff to support the whole child—enhancing youth’s emotional well‑being alongside their social and academic development. To date, tens of thousands of young people have benefited from Clubs equipped with the tools and training to foster safe, responsive environments where youth can build adaptive skills and thrive.
- The Argosy Foundation is a critical partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) in advancing youth mental health and well-being. Through support from the foundation, BGCA is expanding the implementation of trauma-informed practices across the Movement, with a focus on helping Clubs strengthen and deepen trauma-informed approaches within their youth development environments. This partnership has been instrumental in creating emotionally safe, supportive spaces where all young people can thrive.
- New York Life Foundation has been a trusted partner to Boys & Girls Clubs of America for more than 30 years, helping young people build resilience and emotional strength through moments of challenge and change. This long‑standing commitment laid important groundwork for today’s whole‑child approach—recognizing the critical role of trusted adults, strong relationships, and supportive environments in youth mental and emotional well‑being. As the partnership evolves, this legacy connects naturally to New York Life’s Coaching for the Future focus.
- Planet Fitness has been a foundational partner in advancing trauma-informed care at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, helping create safe, supportive environments for young people nationwide. This early commitment helped lay the groundwork for a whole-child approach to youth well-being, and through the Judgement Free Generation® initiative, their investments now encourage young people to build lifelong healthy habits that support both physical and mental well-being.
- The Cigna Group Foundation is advancing youth mental health by equipping Boys & Girls Clubs of America staff with practical, youth-centered tools that support the whole child. Beginning with the Mental Health Teen Guide and expanding to the development of a new Behavior Support Toolkit, this partnership supports Club professionals to lead meaningful conversations, respond to youth needs with confidence, and create environments that promote emotional well-being, positive behavior, and long-term success.
- Chevron‘s support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Trauma-Informed Practice initiative is helping reshape how Clubs across the country show up for young people. Their investment has enabled thousands of Clubs – serving hundreds of thousands of members – to deepen their capacity to provide trauma-informed care, strengthening the mental and emotional well-being of youth nationwide.
- The Eugene & Ruth Freedman Family Foundation is advancing Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s trauma-informed strategy by strengthening youth emotional health and wellness nationwide. Their investment and family partnership spans three generations and is currently supporting the expansion of trauma-informed training, staff development, and national infrastructure — helping Clubs build safe, supportive environments where young people can process trauma, develop resilience, and grow into healthy, confident leaders.
- The California Endowment is supporting the mental health and well-being of Native youth by helping Boys & Girls Clubs on Native lands across California strengthen trauma-informed practices and organizational capacity. This work is expanding access to culturally grounded, healing-centered environments for Native youth and families through Native-led Club organizations rooted in their communities. Through the partnership, Club professionals have received training and certification as Club Trauma-Informed Specialists, strengthening long-term mental health supports for youth across Tribal communities in California.
- Through transformational investments, anonymous donors are accelerating trauma-informed and mental health efforts for youth in underserved and Native communities. Their partnership and support over the last four years expands trauma-informed training, strengthens Club capacity, and builds culturally responsive programs that promote emotional safety, resilience, and well-being. These investments enable Clubs to deliver targeted mental health supports, enhance staff readiness, and create healing-centered environments where youth facing significant barriers can thrive.
Other programmatic supporters include Trauma Free World, Center for Healing and Justice through Sports, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Kids Included Together (KIT), Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS), and University of Michigan.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is underscoring the role trusted community institutions play in supporting young people every day. To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s youth wellness initiatives or to support local Clubs, visit BGCA.org.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,500 Clubs serve more than 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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