ROCKPORT — In a collaboration, Pen Bay Medical Center joins forces with the Roux Institute at Northeastern University for the upcoming Start Summit: Teen Mental Wellness.

Scheduled for April 26-27, this engaging summit calls upon the community to unite, form teams, and conceive entrepreneurial strategies that elevate mental wellness in Knox County youth. This initiative promises not only a chance for participants to secure cash prizes but also to immerse themselves in a dynamic and supportive environment, fostering innovation and community spirit.

“We are excited to partner with Northeastern University’s Roux Institute to spotlight and inspire inventive approaches to improving teen mental wellness in Knox County,” said Nir Harish, MD, a physician at Pen Bay’s Emergency Department, in a news release. “Knox County is no stranger to the teen mental health crisis. Bringing our community together to work on solutions is an important step in getting our teens the support they need.”

The event promises a unique startup experience, offering participants the chance to collaborate, address challenges, and pitch their solutions to a distinguished panel of judges. The winning team will be awarded $2,000, while the runners-up will receive $1,000. Expert guidance, collaborative teamwork, and amazing food will energize participants throughout the event.

“The Roux Institute at Northeastern University’s Start Summits have proven to be an amazing way to introduce entrepreneurship to individuals who hadn’t considered themselves to be entrepreneurs,” said Terra Dunham, entrepreneurship program manager. “By introducing key skills through an experiential education approach, we are able to help individuals see the opportunities that they could create for their communities – and far beyond. We’re thrilled to get to work with our friends at Pen Bay Medical Center to find new ways of supporting mental wellness support for the young people of Maine.”

Learn more and register online at: bit.ly/TeenMentalWellnessSummit

About Pen Bay Medical Center 

Pen Bay Medical Center is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of nine local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire.

For more information, please visit pbmc.org. 

About the Roux Institute at Northeastern University

The Roux Institute at Northeastern University, located in Portland, Maine, serves as an engine of innovation, talent–building, and economic growth for Portland, the state of Maine, and northern New England. Designed with partnerships in mind from day one, the Roux Institute creates programs that prepare the workforce to stay agile and thrive in a competitive landscape of emerging technology. Offering high-tech graduate and customized learning programs targeting in-demand fields like computer and data science, bioengineering, data analytics and project management, the Roux Institute introduces experiential learning for real-world impact. Part of Northeastern University, an R1 global research university, the Roux Institute focuses on applied research in artificial intelligence, computational medicine and life sciences, human-data interaction, and engineering. The Roux Institute is also focused on helping launch and grow startups through education and experience, venture creation and acceleration and community support. Together with their partner network, the Roux Institute is creating an innovation corridor that will stretch from Boston to Portland and beyond.  For more information: www.roux.northeastern.edu/