Supporting Youth Mental Health in Afterschool Spaces: Practical Tools for Everyday Impact

Afterschool professionals are increasingly supporting young people navigating anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, and other behavioral health needs. In this Coffee & Conversation, Aimee Alcorn, LCSW, Senior Director of Clinical Programs at the Colorado LiftED Foundation, will explore current youth mental & behavioral health trends and what they mean for after school environments.

Participants will leave with practical, relationship-centered strategies to support youth with behavioral or complex needs, strengthen emotional regulation, and create program spaces where young people feel safe, supported, and able to thrive. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to discuss real-world challenges and practical applications for their programs.

Presenter Bio:

Aimee Alcorn, LCSW is the Senior Director of Clinical Programs at the Colorado LiftED Foundation, where she leads school-based and community-embedded behavioral health services for youth. With experience spanning in both general and special education, school social work, the inpatient and day treatment psychiatric programs within the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and private practice specializing in neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Trauma), Aimee focuses on practical, community-centered approaches to youth mental and behavioral health.

Her work centers on supporting youth with behavioral and complex needs and helping afterschool professionals and community mental health providers translate current youth mental health trends into everyday strategies that strengthen relationships, improve regulation, and create supportive environments where young people can thrive.