FAQs
Q. What does “BMS” stand for?
A. Body, mind and spirit
Q. When did The BMS Project, Inc. become operational?
A. We were incorporated and began operations in January 2022.
Q. What service/products does The BMS Project provide?
A. We assist youth sports Advocates to create positive, safe competitive environments and experiences. We do so by encouraging, advising and providing tips and tools in our Positive Advocates’ Tool box to assist Advocates (parents, coaches, mentors, officials and school counselors), as we all strive to enjoy our participation in youth sports.
We provide both secular and spiritual resources to assist site visitors in their pursuit of a healthy life style. We are not affiliated with any religious or political organizations. We defer to site visitors to determine which of our services/products best serves their personal needs.
We work with the mental health community at large, as well as community youth organizations and leagues to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention – focusing on issues that affect the emotional well being of young athletes and competitors by supporting the creation of healthy lifestyles and healthy competitive environments.
As described below, we do so by providing educational resources and practical, simple and useful early step advice regarding behavioral/mental health matters.
We NEVER assign labels or pass judgement. We further FULLY ENDORSE the important ROLE OF PARENTS to determine what is in the best interest of their children. We are ADVOCATES of youth sports and competitive activity participation, but we do not believe that participation in competitive activities is essential for the involvement of every family and child. Our goal is to contribute to the well being of our youth… physically, mentally and spiritually.
In summary:
a) We provide advisory services, tools, aids, advice and information designed specifically to assist coaches and organizations to provide positive competitive environments.
b) We further provide first step mental health and suicide prevention advisory services and helpful information,
c) Finally, we provide helpful information to assist families and individuals in crisis. We provide referrals to mental health professionals and service providers that can provide diagnosis and subsequent treatment services for mental health related conditions – including counseling. In addition to our various early step mental health advisory services and resources, we also provide financial and legal advice to interested site visitors.
Q. How can The BMS Project’s services and materials be accessed?
A. Parents, young athletes, youth leagues and organizations can choose from and access BMS advisory Services, Crisis and Signs information, as well as our Positive Advocates Tips and Tools through this website by clicking on the associated drop down selections provided on the main menu.
Q. Is financial assistance currently available?
A. No. Our 501(c)(3) designation was granted by the IRS in January of 2022. Upon receipt, we initiated efforts to fund anticipated future family/individual financial assistance program(s). We do currently provide very useful financial advice that we encourage interested site visitors to review and utilize. In 2023, we will conduct our first fundraising event; we anticipate 100% of the funds raised will be distributed to financially distressed families to assist them to access mental health services.
Q. Who does The BMS Project work with?
A. We work with the mental health community, parents and their minor children (through and with the parents’ consent and permission), young adult athletes; along with youth sports leagues. youth organizations and other nonprofit partners and institutions. We also work with affiliates, associates and partners to promote mental health awareness and to contribute to suicide prevention.
Q. Where is The BMS Project, Inc., located and how can I become involved?
A. Our Corporate Headquarters are located in Kansas City, Missouri. We also maintain an office in Arlington, Virginia. Our Advisory Board members are located throughout the United States. Our advisory services are offered worldwide via the Internet and we have active local/regional chapters operating in Blue Spring, MO, Nashville, TN and anticipate starting-up other local/regional chapters nationwide. Our local/regional chapters work with affiliates and partner youth sports leagues and other youth organizations located throughout the nation committed to supporting good mental health in conjunction with youth involved competitive activities. If you are interested in becoming part of our network, please contact us at inquiries@thebmsproject.org.
Q. Is there a difference between mental health versus mental illness?
A. Yes. The best way to respond to this question may be to compare mental health to physical good health and well being. When one consumes a healthy diet, gets regular, good rest and exercise, they are not described as being sick. Similarly, when one actively seeks and pursue an emotionally well balanced, happy and satisfying life style, they are obviously not mentally ill. Mental illnesses often require diagnosis and treatment.
While one of The BMS Project’s primary focuses involves the promotion of good mental health, our early step advisory services also assist parents and/or young adults seeking professional and/or self help resource when mental illness is a possible source of concern – including crises’ intervention and suicide/mental health warning signs identification.
Q. What is the BMS’ “R U Okay 2Day?” survey system?
A. We are in the very early, beta, pilot test stage of developing an “early warning,” monitoring system intended to allow parents to have a sense of how their child is faring emotionally compared to other children engaging in similar competitive activities. Our “R U Okay 2Day?” survey system, if successful, will allow parents — with complete privacy and security – to receive critical feedback regarding their child’s satisfaction stemming from their participation in competitive activities.
Our survey is being designed to provide an emotional snapshot at a single point in time and is not intended to detect mental illnesses – it assigns no judgments or labels whatsoever. Parents will simply be provided feedback regarding how their child is feeling compared to their peers and it is then left entirely up to the parent what, if anything, to do with that information.
Our number one Advocate tip for parents is to talk to your children about their emotional feelings. The “R U Okay 2Day?” survey system will serve to assist parents to start those conversations.
Q. How is The BMS Project funded?
A. We actively pursue several distinctly different sources of funding through donations, grants and self-funding efforts.
In regards to self funding, we conduct annual Go-OkieDokie! walking, running and bicycling events, as well as golf tournaments.
In exchange for donations, we provide children’s books associated with different types of mental health topics, including the “Poo On My Shoe… what do I do?”, “Bug in My Hair?”, “Cha-Cha-Cha, Changes” are books about growing up for small children; as well as a comic book series of short stories for older children featuring “Moses… the magic, Missouri mule” and “Lady Bug… a.k.a. Ms. Tennessee.”
We also offer paid, fund raising educational seminars and sell sponsorship exposure and offer promotional merchandise. Our store sells various promotional items promoting the causes of mental health awareness, suicide prevention and the creation of positive competitive environments and experiences.
See more information about The BMS Project, Inc’s fund raising efforts under the “Fundraising” main menu website dropdown.