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AFG's YPAR Mental Health Study

1.AFG Mental Health YPAR Survey Informed Consent.

Submitting this survey implies consent from participants. Please read the consent information carefully.

Purpose of the Study
You are invited to take part in a research study led by Alliance for Girls. The goal is to learn from girls and gender-expansive youth across the Bay Area about how they define mental health, safety, and what they need to feel supported in their communities. We are doing this to inform advocacy, programs, and policies that better meet the needs of youth.

You May Take Part In
If you choose to participate, you may take part in one or more of the following:

  • A storytelling circle (a small group conversation, about 2 hours)
  • A one-on-one storytelling session (about 1 hour)
  • A short survey (about 15 minutes)

You can choose which activities you want to join. Some may be held in person at community or school sites, and some may be online. Storytelling sessions will be audio-recorded only if you agree.

Voluntary Participation
Your participation is completely voluntary. You can skip any question, stop the recording, or leave the session at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. You may also withdraw your permission for us to use your data at any time.


Risks and Benefits
Risks: Some topics (e.g., mental health or safety) may bring up personal feelings. You can skip anything that feels uncomfortable to you. If you experience discomfort, please refer to the Mental Health Resource List provided to each participant.

For immediate mental health crises, dial or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

For non-crisis support, you can contact your county's mental health department, use resources like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP), or use the CalHOPE warm line for 24/7 peer support.

Benefits: You may enjoy sharing your story and contributing ideas that can help improve programs and advocacy for youth. You will also receive a $40 gift card for your participation in a group storytelling session, a $20 gift card for your participation in an individual storytelling session, and you may enter into a raffle for a chance to win one of ten $100 gift cards for your survey entry. Please note that an individual can only participate in either a group or an individual storytelling session.

Confidentiality
Your privacy is important to us.

We will not share your name in reports, presentations, or publications.
Audio recordings and notes will be stored on secure, password-protected drives.

Your name and contact information will be kept separate from your stories or survey responses.

Only the research team will have access to identifiable information.
If you are under 18, we are required by law to report if you tell us that you or someone else is being seriously harmed or at risk of harm.

Questions and Contact Information
If you have questions about this study, contact Irina Nunez at irina@alliance4girls.org or (612) 545-7446.

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you can contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at cayuse@csus.edu, (916) 278-6011.