Ending the Silence on Youth Mental Illness
Story by Sarah Merritt Ryan | Photos by Aarush Kathrani unless otherwise noted
In our fast-paced corner of Wake County, the struggles faced by middle and high school students—from social media pressures to the simple difficulty of navigating adolescence—are often hidden. Thankfully, a vital new partnership is working to break down the stigma and shine a light on the youth mental health crisis.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Wake County has teamed up with the Wake County Public School System to begin piloting “Ending the Silence for Families” at 10 local schools. This crucial initiative provides parents and youth with the tools to recognize mental health warning signs and understand the next steps to take. At the helm of this important work is Mark Simon, executive director of NAMI Wake County, whose own experience of bipolar disorder in his youth deeply influences his commitment to the young people of our area. The following interview with Simon provides more information about this initiative and what this collaborative effort means for our community.
How did you get started with NAMI, and what led to your becoming executive director?
My involvement with NAMI started as a youth in need of support. I struggled with bipolar [disorder] as an adolescent and young adult for about 10 years until I stabilized. When I was last discharged from hospitalization in 2008, I was handed information on NAMI’s Peer-to-Peer class. I took the class, and it changed my life. [It] eliminated my isolation, and it also gave me the tools to get my life together and build my toolkit for success.
NAMI programs saved my life. I’ve been affiliated with NAMI for 17 years, so I have a deep understanding of who we are, what we do, and who we serve. I think these previous experiences have made transitioning into this role as executive director easier, and make this professional role a very meaningful experience.
Why is the Ending the Silence presentation important, and what does it include?
Young people are hurting. We are aware of the struggles with bullying and the influences of social media, as well as everything happening in the world. There are still financial and social barriers to getting help. NAMI Wake County is uniquely poised to tackle the youth mental health crisis by bringing the funders and the volunteers together [to deliver] these programs.
Ending the Silence is an evidence-based program that’s been around for a long time, where research proves it is effective. I myself have presented Ending the Silence scores of times since 2018. The presentation has two co-presenters—a lead adult presenter and a young adult presenter. The adult presenter shares the educational component, the slides that talk about signs and symptoms, how to get help, who to talk to, and how to talk to your child or your teacher, and then there’s a young adult presenter who shares their personal journey.
Are you seeking to build long-term relationships with the 10 schools that started with these presentations?
Absolutely. We seek to build an ecosystem of care for youth and their families that offers continued support. If families need more in-depth, robust support, I recommend our NAMI Basics program, which is a six-week structured class that helps families take a deeper dive into caring for youth under the age of 22.
I think our collaboration in fall 2025 with Green Level High School is an excellent example of what we can do with any school that wants to partner with us. They were not one of the 10 schools on our list, but they came to us and asked us to partner. I’m really proud of how their homecoming activities dedicated to mental health awareness came together. I’d love to build an ongoing relationship with Green Level and build partnerships with additional schools.
How do you define the optimal outcome for this collaborative project with the Wake County Public School System?
The real thing we are focused on is impact. We assess survey and evaluation data to confirm that we are changing knowledge, attitude, and perception on mental health. Are people feeling more comfortable and willing to ask for help? Do people ask their loved one how they are doing after taking this presentation? I think the ultimate goal is to intervene when people are younger—to keep them from experiencing a full-blown crisis later in life.
Ultimately, NAMI Wake County’s vision extends far beyond these 10 pilot presentations. They aim to create a lasting ecosystem of care that encourages continuous support. The message is clear: Whether you are a local school, athletic league, library, homeschooling association, or a youth group at a church, the Ending the Silence program is available and designed for any youth-serving organization. NAMI Wake County is also actively seeking additional volunteer presenters—young people under age 35 with lived experience who are in recovery—to share their personal journeys and give hope to the next generation. The goal is not just to talk about mental health, but to make sure everyone feels willing and empowered to ask for the help they need. For more information, visit nami-wake.org.
