Teen Mental Wellness Empowering Minds: Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School
Every student deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and envision a brighter future. At Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center School, that belief carries even greater significance.
Serving students placed in secure detention through the Milwaukee County Juvenile Court System, Vel R. Phillips provides more than academic instruction. They aim to foster a humanizing, healing, and positive environment where justice-involved students can build academic skills, develop educational and career goals, and prepare for a successful future. As a participating school in United Way’s Key Initiative, Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds, the school is strengthening the systems that help students thrive both emotionally and academically. It offers consistency, encouragement, and the opportunity for young people to envision a new path forward.
“I know I’m going to be away from home for a while, but today I’m learning to use my skills positively by not stressing, but learning from my mistakes,” said one student.
During its first year in the initiative, the school focused on improving the transitions students face when returning to their home schools and exiting the justice system, strengthening mental health referral processes, and supporting the well-being of teachers and staff, thereby creating a healthier environment for everyone who walks through its doors.
When schools invest in mental wellness, students gain more than access to services – they gain hope, resilience, and trusted adults who can help them navigate life's challenges. Support Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds initiative to help ensure that every young person, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to heal, grow, and build a brighter future.