The Wellness Blueprint: A Practical Guide to Supporting Youth Mental Health
Ready to discuss Youth Mental Health?
Join the NAACP Center for Health Equity and the NAACP Youth & College Division for a critical discussion on youth mental health. The Wellness Blueprint is an engaging webinar designed for youth, educators, parents, community leaders, and advocates who serve on the front lines of support.
Join the Conversation
With young people experiencing unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional strain, this moment demands more than awareness — it calls for action.
This session provides a practical roadmap for shifting from crisis response to holistic prevention. Participants will gain accessible tools and strategies to strengthen youth mental well‑being across schools, homes, and communities.
MEET OUR EXPERTS
Dr. Chris Pernell
Director, NAACP Center for Health Equity
Dr. Chris T. Pernell is a physician leader and social change agent dedicated to advancing health justice, community wellbeing, and population health. She serves as Director of the NAACP Center for Health Equity, where she leads efforts to drive equitable health outcomes and transform systems with a whole‑person approach. Before joining the NAACP, she founded The Esther Group, a public health consulting and strategy firm focused on helping organizations and communities innovate toward a healthier, more just future.
Previously, Dr. Chris was the first Chief Strategic Integration and Health Equity Officer at University Hospital in Newark, overseeing population health, strategic planning, community affairs, and patient experience. She also led workplace health and equity initiatives with 1199SEIU and healthcare partners across New York City. A recognized voice in preventive medicine, she has been honored by Insider NJ, ROI‑NJ, NJBiz, the American College of Preventive Medicine, and the New Jersey Public Health Association.
Dr. Pernell advises leaders nationwide on racial justice, community wellbeing, and health equity. A graduate of Princeton, Duke, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins, she also serves as a clinical faculty member and faith leader committed to transforming lives through truth, creativity, and service.
Dr. Marline Francois-Madden, PhD, LCSW
Assistant Professor, Therapist & Author, Morgan State University
Dr. Marline Francois‑Madden is a transformative social worker, educator, researcher, and policy‑focused therapist dedicated to uplifting Black girls and women. With a mission to impact one million girls, she develops holistic, actionable strategies that help them heal, grow, and understand their power. Her work sits at the intersection of Black girlhood, mental health, and policy, advancing equity with the clear understanding that equality and equity are not the same.
As founder of Hearts Empowerment Counseling Center, Dr. Marline provides specialized care for depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, stress, and teen and women's issues. She creates a safe, affirming space where girls and women can access the support needed to navigate personal challenges and reclaim their stories. Her bestselling book, The State of Black Girls, serves as an open letter encouraging Black girls everywhere to embrace their voice and identity.
With more than 15 years of practice, Dr. Marline continues to challenge misconceptions about social work and expand the field through innovative, equity‑driven projects. She remains steadfast in her commitment to normalizing mental healing and creating spaces where Black girls and women can thrive.
Dr. Naila A. Smith, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
Dr. Naila A. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Education, Youth, and Social Innovation at the University of Virginia, where she examines the development of marginalized youth through cultural, ecological, and strengths‑based perspectives. Her research centers Black and Brown young people, exploring how identity, social relationships, and cultural contexts shape their experiences from childhood through young adulthood.
Using mixed methods, Dr. Smith investigates how youth make meaning of their identities, how relationships with parents, teachers, and peers support or hinder development, and how discrimination, stereotyping, and xenophobia influence adjustment. Her work appears in leading journals including Child Development, Educational Researcher, and the Journal for Research on Adolescence.
Her scholarship has been supported by the Spencer Foundation and fellowships from the Africana Research Center at Penn State and the American Association of University Women. She serves as a consulting editor for JRA and Secretary of the SRCD Black Caucus Steering Committee. A proud Jamaican, Dr. Smith brings curiosity, joy, and a love of food and karaoke to her work, grounding her research in both rigor and humanity.
John C. Fuller, LCSW-C
Founder, Therapy For Us
John is an author, social worker, and devoted man of faith from Elizabeth, New Jersey. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from Montclair State University and his Master of Social Work from Rutgers University. He is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Washington, DC, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Maryland, committed to helping individuals uncover their strengths and reconnect with their inner voice.
As a therapist and founder of Therapy For Us, John views himself as a purpose agent, guiding clients toward healthier lifestyles and the confidence needed to walk fully in their God‑given calling. His work is rooted in the belief that everyone has a divine purpose, and he strives to help people rediscover clarity, direction, and hope.
With over 10 years of experience supporting children, adolescents, and families across clinical, school, and community-based settings, Mr. Fuller demonstrates a meaningful ability to connect with young audiences. He brings experience as a childcare counselor, care manager, school worker, and intervention specialist, allowing him to take a well-rounded, system-informed approach to care. His work reflects a commitment to breaking stigma, increasing awareness, and equipping young people with practical tools to navigate their mental health.
Tylik McMillan
National Director, NAACP Youth & College Division
Tylik McMillan is a nationally recognized civil rights activist, strategist, and advocate for justice, equity, and youth power. He currently serves as the National Director of Youth and College at the NAACP, where he helps shape the next generation of organizers and civic leaders. A proud son of the South and graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, he has led movements from the streets to Capitol Hill, championing voting rights, climate justice, and public education.
Tylik played a key role in organizing the 2020 Commitment March on Washington and the 2021 March On for Voting Rights, mobilizing hundreds of thousands to demand racial justice, police reform, and voting rights protections. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., serves on its Political Action Committee Board, and is a former Social Justice Ambassador for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's National Racial Equity Initiative.
Recognized as a leading young voice by the Biden‑Harris White House, Tylik has been honored by the U.S. Black Chambers, Bloomberg, the National Urban League, and the CBCF. His work has been featured across major national and global media outlets. He is committed to making civic engagement the norm for young people nationwide.
Dr. Tony C. Price Jr.
Senior Fellow, NAACP Center for Health Equity
Dr.Tony serves as a Senior Fellow at the NAACP Center for Health Equity, where he leads national initiatives focused on eliminating health disparities and advancing equitable health outcomes. He provides strategic leadership across key projects and leverages his expertise in chronic disease prevention, exercise, and physical activity to support healthier futures for historically underserved communities.
Before joining the NAACP, Tony was a Senior Research Associate at the Georgia Health Policy Center, serving as Technical Assistance Lead for projects supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. In that role, he guided rural communities nationwide in strengthening capacity and improving health outcomes through innovative, community‑centered approaches.
Dr. Tony is known for his collaborative spirit, often acting as a connector between partners, resources, and ideas to maximize impact. He serves on the Georgia State University Alumni Association Board of Directors and advises the Arthritis Foundation on mission delivery and national DEI strategy.
A "Triple Panther," Tony holds a DrPH, MS in Exercise Physiology, and BS in Exercise Science from Georgia State University. Raised in a military family, he now calls Atlanta home.