(en)Visionary Minds
IPS’ (en)Visionary Minds program addresses the urgent mental health crisis facing Latine youth ages 10-25 in San Diego County’s Border Region. Between 2011 and 2019, the county experienced a 1,746% increase in youth behavioral health emergency room visits, underscoring the need for culturally responsive, accessible mental health support. Funded by the California Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) and The Conrad Prebys Foundation, this innovative program reduces stigma, enhances behavioral health literacy, and promotes help-seeking behavior through youth-led co-creation.
At the program’s core is authentic youth leadership. A Youth Advisory Board of middle and high school students collaboratively develops the Welfie Youth Mental Health Platform—a comprehensive digital resource where all content is sourced, created, and vetted by youth, for youth. This approach ensures materials resonate with the lived experiences of Latine youth navigating the unique challenges of border life, including heightened stress, cultural adjustments, and limited access to culturally relevant mental health resources.
In partnership with Welfie, a health equity-focused social enterprise, IPS delivers the HERO Academy—a transformative social justice youth development program offering four skill-building tracks. Clinical HEROs curate regional mental health resources; Content HEROs develop educational curriculum; Code HEROs learn coding while building the platform; and Change HEROs develop advocacy and community organizing skills. This multi-faceted approach not only addresses mental health but contributes to behavioral health workforce development in underrepresented communities.
The Welfie platform features daily self-assessments (“Welfies”), short musical mental health messages (“Vibes”) using evidence-based strategies like binaural frequencies and bibliotherapy, and “The Well”—a comprehensive resource library. Through the #SanDiegoVibes campaign and quarterly community gatherings, (en)Visionary Minds creates culturally resonant spaces that empower Latine youth while providing a blueprint for mental health innovation adaptable to diverse communities.
