Lady Gaga’s long-awaited residency kicked off this month at the Park MGM resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
But music isn’t the only thing the best-selling superstar is bringing to the city.
Her charity, called the Born This Way Foundation, recently released a study about youth mental health in Las Vegas.
“Nearly 9 in 10 young people in Las Vegas said that their mental health was a priority, but only half of the high school-aged youth that we surveyed and just a third of the college-aged youth rated their own mental health highly,” said Maya Enista Smith, executive director of the foundation.
Smith said that those surveyed said they wanted to talk about mental health but didn't have the access they needed for their mental wellness.
“One of the findings that vulnerable and are more likely to say that mental health resources aren’t available to them,” Smith said.
She said that finding shows that specific populations of young people need access to specific resources for their mental health.
Smith doesn't want the survey to be seen as an overwhelming negative story.
“I think what we’re seeing is that young people are solving problems and are facing these challenges and coming up with incredible ideas about how to build key resources, how to build community, how to work with local organizations, and I think Las Vegas is one of the most resilient cities we’ve had an opportunity to work in,” she said.
As part of the foundation's work, it will be highlighting the organizations in Nevada that are already providing services and promote the idea of talking about mental health in an effort to eliminate the stigma surrounding it.
“By sharing those proactive mental health measures, that’s how we really change the story and model for young people how to eliminate the stigma,” she said.
Eliminating the stigma is part of the reason Lady Gaga created the foundation. She has been open about her struggles with mental health issues and when she did open up she found many other young people in the same struggle.
“Her story absolutely sparked her interest in these areas but I think the shared experience that she has with so many young people that guides our work at the foundation,” Smith said.
Maya Enista Smith, executive director, Born This Way Foundation