The South Carolina Afterschool Alliance (SCAA) has launched Healthy Futures Afterschool, a new initiative designed to support youth well-being, strengthen mental health awareness, and help prevent substance misuse through afterschool and summer learning programs.
Supported by the Richland County Opioid Recovery Fund, the initiative equips afterschool programs, staff, youth, and families with prevention tools, training, and wellness resources focused on connection, early intervention, and healthy decision-making.
“Afterschool programs are often the places where young people feel safest, most connected, and most seen,” said Zelda Waymer, president and CEO of SCAA. “Healthy Futures Afterschool is about making sure those trusted spaces also have the resources and support needed to help young people navigate real-life challenges and build healthier futures.”
As part of the initiative, Boys & Girls Club of the Crescent Region has already begun implementing Healthy Futures Afterschool within its afterschool programs and will also it this summer.
Through the partnership, BGCCR is hiring and training college students to deliver evidence-based prevention curriculum directly within afterschool settings. The initiative also includes Mental Health First Aid training for afterschool staff to help identify signs of mental health challenges and connect youth with support services, along with prevention resources for families and expanded mentorship and peer support opportunities.
“We’re already seeing the impact that trusted relationships, mentorship, and consistent support can have on young people,” said Troy Thames, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of the Crescent Region. “By integrating Healthy Futures Afterschool into our afterschool and summer programs, we’re helping connect youth and families with meaningful prevention and wellness resources in spaces where young people already feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow.”
The initiative comes at a critical time as communities across South Carolina continue facing increasing concerns related to opioid misuse and youth mental health.
“At its core, this work is about connection,” Waymer added. “When young people have trusted adults they can talk to, it changes outcomes. This initiative is about strengthening those connections before young people reach a crisis point.”
Afterschool programs, families, and community partners are encouraged to learn more by visiting https://scafterschool.com/healthy-futures-afterschool/.
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