Rebels United

08/28/2026

Young people don't always need us to have the answer.

Sometimes they need to know we're willing to listen.

As parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, and other trusted adults, our instinct can be to offer advice or try to fix what's wrong.

But being there for a young person can start with something much simpler:

Ask.

Listen.

Give them room to talk.

CredibleMind's "How to Be There for Someone Else" podcast offers practical ideas for creating a safe space for honest conversations and supporting the people we care about.

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/podcasts/408-selfwork-how-to-be-there-for-someone-else

Every time we show a young person that we're willing to listen, we're helping build the kind of relationship they can turn to when something really matters.

Sometimes we don't need the perfect words.

We just need to show up.

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/podcasts/408-selfwork-how-to-be-there-for-someone-else

**Sometimes the best way to support someone is simply to be there.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/podcasts/408-selfwork-how-to-be-there-for-someone-else

When someone we care about is struggling, it's natural to want to help.

We want to find the right words.

Offer advice.

Fix the problem.

But sometimes what another person needs most is someone willing to listen and make room for what they're going through.

As we wrap up another week of **Conversations That Matter**, consider someone in your life who might need you right now.

Reach out.

Ask how they're doing.

And if they want to talk, give them the gift of being heard.

Sometimes we don't need the perfect words.

We just need to show up.

Listen to **"How to Be There for Someone Else":**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/podcasts/408-selfwork-how-to-be-there-for-someone-else

08/27/2026

**One caring adult who knows what to do can make a difference.**

International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31.

For parents and other adults who care about young people, this is an opportunity to learn something that could save a life: how to recognize an opioid overdose and how to respond with naloxone.

Having naloxone available doesn't mean you expect something bad to happen. It means you're prepared to help if it ever does.

Parents. Coaches. Teachers. Friends. Family members. Caring adults.

**Any of us can be someone who knows what to do.**

This International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember those we've lost—and help make sure more people are here tomorrow.

Overdose is preventable. You can be prepared to save a life.

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day—a time to remember those we've lost, support the people who love them, and recognize that there are things each of us can do to help prevent another loss.

One of those things is learning how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose.

Clay County Public Health is a Naloxone Access Point, helping community members access naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.

We also offer free naloxone training to individuals and groups. You'll learn how to recognize the signs of an overdose, how to respond, and how to administer naloxone.

You don't have to wait until someone you care about is at risk to be prepared.

Parents. Friends. Coworkers. Employers. Community organizations. Caring neighbors.

Any of us can be someone who knows what to do.

Learn about naloxone access in Clay County:
https://claycountymn.gov/1846/Naloxone-Access

Interested in free naloxone training? Call Clay County Public Health at 218-299-5062 or learn more:
https://claycountymn.gov/1847/Naloxone-Training

This International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember those we've lost—and help make sure more people are here tomorrow.

08/26/2026

Back to school is here.

We're asking our kids about classes, teachers, homework, practices, activities, rides, and everything else that comes with a new school year.

Let's remember to ask one more question:

**How are you doing—really?**

Back-to-school can bring excitement and new opportunities, but it can also mean new routines, new expectations, and plenty of adjustments.

Sometimes young people don't need us to immediately fix what's happening.

They need us to ask.

And then they need us to listen.

CredibleMind also offers a free Mental Health Check-In that parents and teens can use to pause and think about how they're doing:

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/assessments/mental-health-check-in/page1

As this school year begins, keep making room for conversations that matter.

Back to school is here. How are you doing?

The start of a new school year can bring excitement, new routines, new opportunities—and plenty of adjustments for students, parents, teachers, and families.

Take CredibleMind’s free Mental Health Check-In:
https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/assessments/mental-health-check-in/page1

Sometimes we spend so much time keeping up with everything happening around us that we don't stop to notice how we're doing ourselves.

Take a few minutes today.

Check in with yourself.

Then consider asking someone you care about the same simple question:

How are you doing—really?

You don't need to fix anything. You don't need to have the perfect response.

Sometimes making room for an honest answer is where a conversation that matters begins.

Take the free Mental Health Check-In:
https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/assessments/mental-health-check-in/page1

08/21/2026

When was the last time you really talked with your child?

Not about homework.

Not about whether their room is clean.

Not about practice, chores, or what time they need to be home.

Just talked.

Ask what's been going well.

Ask what's been hard.

Ask what they're excited about.

Or simply spend some time together and see where the conversation goes.

The everyday conversations we have with young people help build the relationships that make the harder conversations possible when we need to have them.

Today's free CredibleMind resource explores **Deepening Connection Through Communication.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/deepening-connection-through-communication

This weekend, make some time to really talk.

**The conversations we have can shape the relationships we build.**

Good communication isn't just about getting our point across. It's also an opportunity to understand someone better, share more of ourselves, and strengthen the connection between us.

Today's CredibleMind resource explores **Deepening Connection Through Communication.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/deepening-connection-through-communication

Think about the people you're closest to.

When was the last time you really talked?

Not about schedules.
Not about what needs to get done.
Not about who's picking something up on the way home.

A real conversation.

Ask how they're doing.

Share something you've been thinking about.

Tell them something you appreciate about them.

And give the conversation some room to go wherever it goes.

Throughout August, our **Conversations That Matter** campaign has focused on how better conversations can support our mental wellbeing and strengthen our relationships.

This weekend, make some time for one that matters.

Learn more:
https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/deepening-connection-through-communication

08/20/2026

Most families choose to vaccinate their children.

Getting ready for a new school year means backpacks, schedules, school supplies—and making sure your child's health needs are taken care of, too.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, making this a good time for parents to check their children's vaccination records and see if anything needs to be updated.

Vaccines help protect kids from serious illnesses and help keep students healthy, learning, and participating in the activities they enjoy.

Not sure if your child is up to date? Check with your healthcare provider or local public health department.

**Most Clay County families choose to vaccinate their children.**

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and with a new school year approaching, it's a good time to check that your family's vaccinations are up to date.

Vaccines help protect children from serious illnesses and help keep our schools and communities healthier.

If your child needs a vaccination—or you're not sure what's needed—**Clay County Public Health can help.**

Our Public Health Clinic provides immunizations to qualifying Minnesota children and adults using state-supplied vaccines.

Call **218-299-7777** to schedule a vaccine appointment or learn more about our immunization services:

https://claycountymn.gov/496/Clinic-Services

As families prepare backpacks, school supplies, and new routines for the year ahead, add one more thing to the back-to-school checklist: **check your family's vaccination records.**

08/19/2026

**Some of the most important conversations with our kids aren't the easiest ones to start.**

As parents and caregivers, there are times when we know we need to talk about something important—but emotions may be high, we may see things differently, and we're not quite sure how the conversation will go.

That's when *how* we communicate matters.

This short, three-minute CredibleMind video shares ideas from **Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/videos/crucial-conversations-tools-for-talking-when-stakes-are-high-animated

Before starting an important conversation with your teen, consider:

What do I want my child to take away from this conversation?

How can I make it safe for them to be honest with me?

Am I prepared to listen as carefully as I speak?

We won't always agree with our kids.

But we can keep creating the kind of relationship where important conversations can happen.

Watch the free three-minute video:
https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/videos/crucial-conversations-tools-for-talking-when-stakes-are-high-animated

08/18/2026

**Parents, this one is for you.**

93% of Clay County students say their parents care about them.

That's more than a feel-good statistic. Strong, supportive relationships are an important protective factor for young people.

Every conversation, check-in, ride in the car, meal together, and moment when you simply show up helps build connection.

**Relationships are prevention. Keep showing up.**

**93% of Clay County students say their parents care about them.**

According to the 2025 Minnesota Student Survey, about **93% of Clay County students** report that their parents care about them *quite a bit* or *very much*.

And that matters.

Research on **Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)** shows that strong, supportive relationships during childhood are associated with better health and wellbeing later in life—including lower levels of alcohol, to***co, and other drug use.

Relationships are prevention.

When young people feel cared for, supported, and connected to the adults in their lives, we're building the kinds of positive experiences that help them thrive.

Prevention isn't only about talking to young people about substances. It's also about strengthening the relationships and environments that help protect them in the first place.

**93% is a strength worth celebrating—and continuing to build.**

08/17/2026

Making friends isn't always easy—even for adults.

That's worth remembering when we encourage young people to introduce themselves, meet someone new, or find their place in a new school, team, or activity.

We can model it too.

Say hello to someone new.

Start a conversation.

Invite someone to join you.

Show young people that building relationships sometimes requires us to take the first step.

Today's free CredibleMind resource explores **The Art of Making Friends as an Adult.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/the-art-of-making-friends-as-an-adult

Strong communities—and strong support networks—often begin with a simple conversation.

**When was the last time you made a new friend?**

Making friends can feel a lot harder as an adult. Sometimes it starts with something surprisingly simple: being willing to start a conversation.

CredibleMind explores **The Art of Making Friends as an Adult.**

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/the-art-of-making-friends-as-an-adult

As kids, opportunities to meet people seem to happen everywhere.

As adults, work, family, responsibilities, and busy schedules can make forming new friendships a little more complicated.

But every friendship has to start somewhere.

Introduce yourself to the new coworker.

Talk to the person you see regularly at the gym.

Invite someone to grab coffee.

Say hello to the neighbor you've never really gotten to know.

You don't have to know whether a conversation will become a friendship before you start it.

This week's **Conversations That Matter** invitation: start a conversation with someone new.

Learn more:
https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/insights/the-art-of-making-friends-as-an-adult

08/12/2026

Young people notice when we're really listening.

As parents, teachers, coaches, and other trusted adults, it's easy to hear the words a young person is saying while we're already thinking about our advice, our answer, or what needs to happen next.

Sometimes they need us to listen first.

Put down the phone.

Give them your attention.

Ask a question.

Listen to understand.

This free six-minute CredibleMind podcast is a great reminder of why listening matters in all of our relationships.

https://partnership4health.crediblemind.com/podcasts/listen-like-it-matters-because-it-does

08/11/2026

98% of Clay County students don't misuse prescription medications.

Healthy choices are the norm. Let’s make sure young people know it.

98% of Clay County students don't misuse prescription medications.

According to the 2025 Minnesota Student Survey, 98% or more of Clay County students are choosing not to misuse prescription medications. Reported misuse was 2% or less, depending on the type of prescription medication.

Sometimes the behaviors that concern us most can seem more common than they actually are.

That's why sharing accurate information matters.

When young people know that the overwhelming majority of their peers are choosing not to misuse prescription medications, we reinforce the healthy behavior that's already the norm.

Parents and other caring adults can help keep that norm strong. Talk with young people about using medications only as directed, safely store medications in your home, and properly dispose of medications you no longer need.

Healthy choices are happening every day. Let's make sure they get noticed, too.
Source: 2025 Minnesota Student Survey