OP-ED: States Have Choices for Juvenile Justice Reform [JJIE.org]
State and local governments around the country are dealing with issues related to incarceration of juveniles....
March 2015
College life with mental illness takes extra planning [FreeP.com]
Margaret Skoch of Cleveland felt a jumble of emotions as the day to leave for college neared. She was thrilled to be attending her dream school, Notre Dame University, her mother's alma mater. She was anxious about leaving home. And then there...
Supportive Relationships and Active Skill-Building Strengthen the Foundations of Resilience [DevelopingChild.Harvard.edu]
Decades of research in the behavioral and social sciences have produced substantial evidence that children who do well despite serious hardship have had at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other...
Kalamazoo County not yet able to say 'All the children are well' [MLive.com]
The Masai tribe of West Africa is known for their intelligence, fearsome strength, and praiseworthy nobility. When they meet one another, members say "Kasserina Engeri", which translates to English as, "How are the children"; the invariable reply is,...
We Have to Stop Ignoring Adverse Childhood Experiences [HuffingtonPost.com]
NPR's Laura Starecheski, in "Can Family Secrets Make You Sick?," describes the medical science which explains how adverse childhood experiences lead to chronic adult illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. Her excellent report was the...
Examination of prior authorization policies for antipsychotic prescribing to children [ScienceDaily.com]
With a concern about inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic medications to children, 31 states have implemented prior authorization policies for atypical antipsychotic prescribing, mostly within the past 5 years, and with most states...
Study bolsters evidence that depression intervention also benefits employers [MedicalXpress.com]
Workers with depression had improved mental health and were more productive after completing a phone-based intervention that focused on restoring their ability to work, according to a national study published in Psychiatric Services in Advance,...
Break-the-Cycle Parenting: In the Trenches
“I trust you to curl m y hair,” I said to my twelve-year old as she came at my sizable forehead with a h ot electrical appliance. “And that’s saying something,” I added, “Because those things can hurt. Plus, I can...
A Pathway to Healing
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” "The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet." "Even the longest journey must begin where you stand." Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531...
Accomplished People Hurt Too
A point I have tried to make since I was told about it in 2010 is that successful people can hurt too. What do I mean by successful? I guess it would be like me, of like the woman in this story aired on NPR . We are people who have tried to do things...
College Help For Students Cuts Drinking, But Not For Long [NPR.org]
Most colleges require students to go through some sort of alcohol education program. When I was a freshman in college, I was required to play a video game that involved helping Franklin the frog navigate through various college parties without...
Black Bodies In White Words, Or: Why We Need Claudia Rankine [NPR.org]
There is a cartoon circulating right now of two people holding protest signs — one is black, the other white. The black figure holds a sign that reads "I Can't Breathe;" the white figure holds a sign that reads "I Can't See." Recently, I...
In Berlin, Grassroots Efforts Work To Integrate Inner-City Schools [NPR.org]
In parts of Berlin, racial segregation in schools is far from official policy, but it is often a reality. In the fast-gentrifying district of Neukölln, young, mainly white professionals usually move away as soon as their kids reach...
UN: World eating too much sugar; cut to 5-10 percent of diet (Update) [MedicalXpress.com]
New guidelines from the World Health Organization are enough to kill anyone's sugar high. The U.N. health agency says the world is eating too much sugar and people should slash their intake to just six to 12 teaspoons per...
Kalamazoo MI is organizing to reduce ACEs and foster resilience [www.mlive.com]
On this wintry March day in the Philadelphia region it is heart warming and inspiring to read about another community, Kalamazoo County in Michigan, that is getting organized and 'join[ing] together in creating a community that is child- affirming." Here are three simple steps they are recommending for their community: First, join us on Facebook at Raising Kalamazoo County. Second, attend one of the community meetings listed there where you will meet others...