In 2019, Brian Jordan partnered with The Center for Excellence at Ridgeview Institute Smyrna to serve as the center’s Ambassador.
As a professional athlete most known for building a multi-sport legacy, Brian Jordan is clearly a man of many talents. Sports enthusiasts have long been aware of his athletic skills, as he has been an All-Star player with the Atlanta Braves and an All-Pro selection with the Atlanta Falcons.
For almost 20 years, Jordan has helped make sports history, as a leader on both the baseball and football fields. Being a two-sport professional athlete is an uncommon occurrence in professional sports, the Baltimore native has contributed more to Atlanta than just home runs and bone-jarring tackles.
Mental health disorders can have a significant impact on daily life and overall well being, and depending on what type, may affect relationships, physical health, academic performance, etc. The Center for Excellence’s goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment to assist adolescents on the road to excellence by providing the adolescent and their family with tools to stabilize and overcome mental health and chemical dependency problems.
According to the National Institute for Mental Illness one in five children and teens between the ages of 13 and 18 have or will have a serious mental illness. Roughly 11% of teens have a mood disorder (Depression, Bipolar Disorder, etc.). Approximately 10% of teens have a behavior or conduct disorder (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). About 8% of teens have an anxiety disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, etc.)
Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are substances most commonly used by adolescents.1 By 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried alcohol.1 About half of 9th through 12th grade students reported ever having used marijuana.2 About 4 in 10 9th through 12th grade students reported having tried cigarettes.3 Among 12th graders, close to 2 in 10 reported using prescription medicine without a prescription.1
As The Center for Excellence Ambassador, Brian Jordan provides motivational talks to the center’s adolescents that empower them to handle life situations, make effective decisions and gain control over their lives. In this program, adolescents will engage in true self-discovery while learning emotional and social tools for life.
References
1. Johnson LD, O’Malley PM, Bachman JG, Schulenberg JE, Miech RA. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2013: Volume 1, Secondary school students. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 2014: 32-36.
2. The PartnershipTM at Drugfree.Org. 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study: Teens and Parents. 2013.
3. Kann L, Kinchen S, Shanklin SL, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance–United States, 2013. MMWR Surveillance Summaries. 2014(63): 17-20.