Tagged With "health"
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Teen Mental Health - Resilient Georgia General Meeting
Resilient Georgia is excited to share information and resources from our June General Meeting on Teen Mental Health , where we brought together experts and advocates in the Georgia behavioral health space to discuss their work around adolescent well-being. Teenagers can be hard to decipher at times, but one point is clear: teens need large amounts of support to overcome the staggering odds of having mental illness. With rates of teen mental illness already higher than the adult population...
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Yardelnarf! for Your Children
My friend Eileen recently revealed a staggering observation she'd made about parenting amid the pandemic. "Some parents feel ashamed if they can't buy the latest, greatest gadget for their kids." It triggered from her an impassioned treatise that expensive gadgets aren't necessary for a child's entertainment. She argued, "You can tell stories with a child, create a puppet show with socks, invent a new game, build a doll house out of a cardboard box!" You just need imagination and a simple...
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How to Support Adult Children Struggling With Mental Health (NY Times)
Expert advice on how to gently offer help and compassion. Katie Bradeen of Colorado Springs, Colo., began to worry about her 20-year-old son, Ryan, when he came home for Christmas break of 2020. She said he had a “gray demeanor” and “he seemed to be in slow motion.” Though Mr. Bradeen was on campus for his sophomore year of college, the social distancing and virtual classes during the pandemic were challenging, especially for him as a theater major. The winter of 2021 “was even more...
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A Strengths-Based Approach Brings HOPE to ACEs
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its first in a series of reports called “Snapshots” after polling 3,000+ parents about their experiences during the pandemic. Surprisingly, while many of the findings were concerning, most people reported a deepening relationship with their children despite the stress and tension they were experiencing.
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Doc on a Mission: Helping Parents Break the Trauma Cycle
Scott Grant, MD., MPH joined us on the Less Stress in Life Podcast for a conversation on childhood trauma, how he approaches incorporating trauma-informed care into his practice, the transformational power of parenthood and his new Docs2Dads podcast. Dr. Grant is a Board-Certified pediatrician who works in primary care and hospital pediatrics in Southeast Michigan. Professionally, Dr. Grant is interested in learning how childhood adversity and toxic stress affect children into adulthood, and...
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When the Parenting Never Stops (nytimes.com)
By Jessica Grose, Image: Eleanor Davis, The New York Times, February 16, 2022 We have a mainstream directive for raising children in our society: You provide them with support, shelter and care until they’re 18, and then they’re supposed to be, more or less, self-sufficient, launched into the world as adults. This framework leaves out millions of parents whose children struggle with substance abuse or mental illness, who may be providing active care to their adult children for the rest of...
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NAMI Releases "Meet Little Monster" Children’s Mental Health Coloring & Activity Book
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) announces the release of “Meet Little Monster,” a mental health coloring and activity book created for young children as a tool for them to express and explore their feelings in a fun, creative and empowering way, as well as to help foster dialogue between children and the safe adults in their lives. NAMI is proud to make “Meet Little Monster” available for download to families, organizations, teachers, and young people across the country at no cost...
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To solve the Black maternal mortality crisis, start with upending racist practices
It’s been all over the news for months: Black women in the United States are dying from complications during their pregnancies or in childbirth at alarming rates, and those deaths are preventable. Less well explored is how systemic racism and historical trauma have been at the core of what’s driven up these rates over several decades. A March 20 conference entitled The Impact of ACEs on Black Maternal Health took an in-depth look into why Black maternal mortality and complications during...
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A Report on How Stigma Harms Youth Exposed to Parental Substance Use Disorder
A New Path Forward: A Report on How Stigma Harms Youth exposed to Parental Substance Use Disorder and Recommendations for a New Path Forward NEW REPORT: On February 3rd, Starlings Community released a FIRST of its kind report on how stigma impacts youth exposed to parental substance use disorder. Approximately 1 in 6 youth are exposed to the stress and stigma of a parent's substance use disorder. These children/youth are at double the risk for depression, triple the risk for addiction, and...
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Stress is Contagious: How to Stop the Spread & Regain Your Health
Stop the spread...of STRESS! Stress is not only triggered by external or internal factors. You can also pick up stress from social interactions – spouse, other household members, colleagues, etc. – usually referred to as emotional contagion. Learn how to stop the spread of stress and regain your health.
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It's Time to Redefine Happiness for Children in 2022
As I sat down to write my annual Happy New Year newsletter to my email list, I paused. Something didn't feel right. Every time I see an email headline with "Happy New Year!" from the newsletters I subscribe to it falls flat. Who is truly happy after what has transpired over the last year? "Happy New Year" seems like a tall order right now, and I think it's beneficial to accept and acknowledge that reality rather than live in denial. As a mom I am tired of putting on the charade that life is...
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Why Transitions Are Tough for Children Impacted by Trauma & What To Do About It
Does your child refuse to leave the playground or other locations without a meltdown? Transitions between activities are tough for toddlers and preschoolers, but especially for those children who have experienced trauma and loss. Children who have experienced traumatic changes in their life like divorce or removal from parents will see ending enjoyable activities as yet another loss. At the same time, they are constantly assessing their level of security, and boundary-pushing is a quick way...
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Focus on Your Family’s Mental Health: Battling Anxiety While War Rages
It has escaped no one’s attention that there is a major military conflict going on in Eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine. Turn on the Evening News, listen to the radio, or scroll through your social media news feed, and you'll see evidence of gross atrocities, senseless violence and doomsayers suggesting that this is the start of a world war. In the midst of all of this, how do you guard against fear and anxiety and protect your own mental health as well as that of your children? I...
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The Earliest Podcast [zerotothree.org]
This Mental Health Awareness Month, on May 5, ZERO TO THREE is launching a new podcast focused on mental health and well-being in the earliest years of life. Join to hear from early childhood experts on what’s working, what’s not, and where we go from here. We’ve all seen the news headlines, and many of us are experiencing the impact firsthand of the unprecedented mental health crisis among people of all ages and walks of life. During Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite you to a safe...
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Perspectives on Early Relational Health Video Series [cssp.org]
The Perspectives on Early Relational Health Series from the Center for the Study of Social Policy brings together a diverse group of parents, pediatricians, researchers, and providers to share their perspectives on why Early Relational Health matters, and what they are doing to support and promote foundational early relationships. We hope these conversations inspire new insights and motivate you to join us in our collective movement to support healthy early relationships, so every child and...
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6 things parents should know about mental health before sending a kid to college
By Allison Slater Tate, Today, March 8, 2022 (updated April 25, 2022) After student athletes Katie Meyer and Sarah Shulze died by suicide one month apart, parents have questions. This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. When news broke in March that Stanford senior and soccer star Katie Meyer,...
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Why American Teens Are So Sad [theatlantic.com]
By Derek Thompson, Image from Getty, The Atlantic, April 11, 2022 Four forces are propelling the rising rates of depression among young people. The United States is experiencing an extreme teenage mental-health crisis. From 2009 to 2021, the share of American high-school students who say they feel “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” rose from 26 percent to 44 percent, according to a new CDC study. This is the highest level of teenage sadness ever recorded. The government survey...
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The Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders Among Latino Parents [hispanicresearchcenter.org]
A new brief from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families shows that over one third of Latino parents have experienced a mental health disorder at some point in their lives—a lower rate than among non-Hispanic parents. To help Latino parents cope with mental health disorders, researchers suggest that the mental health field provide culturally informed, responsive, and sensitive care that recognizes the diversity of the Latino community. Researchers analyzed data from...
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The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project
The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project offers a series of free, evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach their kids critical mental health and coping skills. The project was born of an innovative partnership between the state of California and the Child Mind Institute. Please click here to learn more and access the resources! Also available in Spanish!
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Understanding Parity: A Guide to Resources for Families and Caregivers [SAMHSA]
There are protections in federal law, collectively known as “parity,” which are designed to ensure that certain types of health plans cover mental and substance use disorders no less generously than they cover other health issues. This resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can guide you to helpful materials and places. Please click here to access the resource.
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Free document: For a child/youth with ID, DD, disability, or/and ASD who has experienced trauma. Some available information and tools for Mental Health providers
Hi. I train a modified version of “The Road to Recovery: Supporting Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma ,” developed by the Hogg Foundation and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). And while there is a story behind their development, I have drafted two documents; one of which, is the attached. “For a child/youth with ID, DD, disability, or/and ASD who has experienced trauma. Some available information and tools for Mental...
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Navigating Fatherhood as a Black Man [nytimes.com]
By Christina Caron, Image by Rachel Levit Ruiz, The New York Times, June 16, 2022 The editor of a new book of essays shares how Black men can attend to their mental health while growing their families. This year Father’s Day will fall on June 19, or Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States after the Civil War. And for Michael D. Hannon, an associate professor of counseling at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., that...
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Perspectives on Early Relational Health Series [cssp.org]
The Perspectives on Early Relational Health Series , a suite of videos from the Center for the Study of Social Policy, includes four sessions during which experts share their perspectives on the importance of foundational early relationships. Each session is between 15 and 25 minutes long, and the presenters include parents, pediatricians, researchers, providers, and other experts. The goal of the series to inspire new insights and support for the movement to promote early relationships so...
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Compassion Resilience Starts with You
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Over One Third of Lower-income Latino Adults Living with Children Have Frequent Anxiety or Depressive Symptoms, and Most Do Not Receive Mental Health Services [www.hispanicresearchcenter.org]
New research from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families shows that 37 percent of lower-income Latino adults (defined here as those whose incomes are less than 200% of the federal poverty line) living with children reported either frequent anxiety or depressive symptoms during Fall 2021 and Winter 2022—rates that are statistically higher than those among their higher-income peers. Additionally, authors Yiyu Chen and María A. Ramos-Olazagasti find that, regardless of...
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Policy Change to Promote Early Relational Health [cssp.org]
The early and foundational relationships that babies and toddlers experience with their parents shape the health and well-being of two generations. This brief from the Center for the Study of Social Policy highlights opportunities to promote early relational health with policy change and investments, including with existing programs, pandemic funding, and pending legislation in Congress. Please click here to access the brief: Policy Change to Promote Early Relational Health .
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Talking to kids about incidents of mass violence is better for their mental health, experts say [www.sandiegouniontribune.com]
By Lisa Deaderick, The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 12, 2022 Experts with the American Psychological Association and the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress offer guidance on how to help children and teens with their mental health after exposure to events of mass violence, like the latest string of mass shootings in the U.S. The most recent string of mass shootings across the country — from a grocery store in New York , a church in California and an elementary school in Texas , to a...
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How to support your LGBTQ child's mental health [cnn.com]
By Rachel Daem, CNN, June 29, 2022 When Justine Larson's son came out as transgender at age 11, she didn't know how to react. Despite being supportive of LGBTQ communities, Larson struggled to accept that her child, assigned female at birth, would have a different life than she imagined. "We didn't give it as much attention as maybe we should have," she said of her and her husband's response. Their child "basically got pretty depressed and even was having some suicidal thoughts." Feeling...
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S.T.A.Y. Tuned: Supporting Transition-Age Youth Podcast
S.T.A.Y. Tuned: Supporting Transition-Age Youth Podcast is a podcast for young adults made by young adults with mental health conditions. It's designed to share useful information our research team has gained through studies of transition-age youth/young adults navigating school or work. We bring on guests, including our research collaborators from across the globe, and discuss the challenges and opportunities for youth with serious mental health struggles, particularly as they navigate...
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The Winning Family: Return of an Inspiring Parenting Classic
The 35 th Anniversary edition of Dr. Louise Hart’s parenting classic is revived with her daughter, Kristen Caven. Kristen Caven and Dr. Louise Hart are a mother-daughter writing team who teach social and emotional well-being for parents and children of all ages. Their latest book, The Winning Family: Where No One Has to Lose helps readers develop the win-win life skills that build self-esteem, confidence, and unconditional love in family relationships. First published in 1987 by Dodd, Mead,...
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Back to School Toolkit from Mental Health America
This year, Mental Health America recognizes with their 2022 Back to School Toolkit that our youth are having "All the Feels" as they enter the new school year. These resources look at the issues young people face that impact their mental health and offer tips on how to deal with these issues and the resulting emotions. The MHA toolkit can also help parents and school personnel better understand the issues, such as the effects of social media on youth mental health and how to be supportive.
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How to Survive the Holiday with Nonviolent Communication
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How to Talk About Mental Health With Your Child and Their Pediatrician [healthychildren.org]
By Jeffrey D. Shahidullah, PhD and Rebecca A. Baum, MD, FAAP, Healthychildren.org Children, teens and families are navigating difficult times. Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether day-to-day stress is getting the best of us, or when something more serious may be going on. In either case, talking with your child's pediatrician is a great place to start. Starting the conversation Many pediatricians check for mental health concerns at well-child visits. The doctor may ask your child...
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Talking about mental health can be hard within Latino families. Here’s how to start [latimes.com]
By Karen Garcia, Image by Kassia Rico / for The Times, The LA Times, September 28, 2022 Norma Fabian Newton had heard of other new mothers experiencing the “baby blues,” short-term sadness and anxiety. But when she had her first child in her early 30s, she described her experience as a “constant barrage of thoughts.” “I was constantly thinking, ‘I’m not equipped to be a parent, I hate myself, or I hate this decision,’” she said. “In so many ways I had everything, and yet I felt so empty and...
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Many California Families Can't Access Mental Health Care for Kids. This East Palo Alto Mom Found a Way [centerforhealthjournalism.org]
By Blanca Torres, USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, Illustration by Anna Vignet/KQED, September 30, 2022 Jasmine Cuevas stood at her kitchen stove preparing migas, stirring a pan of eggs and tortillas before calling her four children to dinner. She spooned servings onto plates while asking each about their day. “I get out of work, get them from school and then we come straight home,” she said. “And, it’s a wreck: dinner, homework, reading, bath and then bedtime by 7:30 at the...
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How Climate Change Affects Children's Health [healthychildren.org]
By Aparna Bole, MD, FAAP & Claire McCarthy, MD, FAAP, HealthyChildren.org Every day, pediatricians see how climate change affects children’s physical and mental health. When pediatricians talk with parents about what’s good for their kids, part of our job is connecting the dots between climate change and their child’s health. Connecting the dots For example, pediatricians often talk with parents about how a healthy diet and exercise help children grow into healthy adults. When we talk...
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Breaking the Cycle: How parental mental health affects kids — and what to do about it [centerforhealthjournalism.org]
By Blanca Torres, USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, October 18, 2022 When Mariana Pimentel thinks about her childhood in a small town in Mexico, she remembers being surrounded by anger and desperation. Her parents worked long hours to support Pimentel and her brothers and sisters, so they were often absent. When they were home, her parents communicated by yelling. “I want my kids to grow up in a different environment from how I grew up and not repeat the same mistakes,” said...
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4 Ways Outdoor Play Helps Develop Resilience In Children
Outdoor play is key to the health and well-being of children. Getting muddy and staying out till sunset is great for children’s development and can help them refine their motor coordination skills. Kids who play outdoors have improved cognitive skills, too. A recent systematic review found that children who have regular access to green spaces show improved “mental well-being, overall health, and cognitive development.” Children who play outside also had better self-discipline and showed...
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Knowing Better
In 2007, at the start of my son’s fourth grade year, the teacher who I will call Ms. L, gave the class an assignment. They were to write letters to their “future selves” outlining the things they envisioned and hoped for over the course of the coming year. Ms. L. would give the letters back to the children at the end of the year so they could see how their “future selves” aligned with the vision they held at the start of the year. Though my son, ten at the time, showed no outward signs of...
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Re: Knowing Better
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Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health Are NOT Synonyms
Successful health equity strategies must be inclusive, and focus on all marginalized and minoritized persons and their communities. Any lesser view will continue to yield a faulty health equity equation.
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What Children Really Need Is Adults That Understand Development
The brain doesn’t fully develop until about the age of 25. This fact is sometimes quite surprising and eye opening to most adults. It can also be somewhat overwhelming for new parents and professionals who are interacting with babies and young children every day, to contemplate. It is essential to realize however, that the greatest time of development occurs in the years prior to kindergarten. And even more critical to understand is that by age three 85 percent of the core structures of the...
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We know how to support poor families
Original Investigation July 24, 2023 Community Health Worker Home Visiting, Birth Outcomes, Maternal Care, and Disparities Among Birthing Individuals With Medicaid Insurance Cristian I. Meghea, PhD 1 ; Jennifer E. Raffo, MA 1 ; Xiao Yu, PhD 1 ; et al Ran Meng, MS 1 ; Zhehui Luo, PhD 2 ; Peggy Vander Meulen, MSN 3 ; Celeste Sanchez Lloyd, MA 3 ; Lee Anne Roman, PhD 1 Author Affiliations JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(9):939-946. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.2310 Question Is participation in a...
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A Balanced View on Mandated Reporting versus Family Supporting
Viewpoint July 31, 2023 Seeking a Balanced View of Child Protective Services Howard Dubowitz, MD, MS 1 ; Richard P. Barth, PhD, MSW 1 Author Affiliations Article Information JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(10):991-992. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.2578 A s professionals working closely with child protective services (CPS) for many years, we are well aware of its shortcomings, particularly undertrained and overwhelmed staff who may inadequately protect children and serve families as mandated by...
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Early Relational Health Innovators Partner In Program Supported by PACEs Connection Cooperative of Communities Members in Twelve California Counties
Christina Bethell, Ph.D, MBA, MPH, founder of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), principal author of the groundbreaking study on positive childhood experiences, and creator of the free Well Visit Planner, among other innovations. Two internationally-respected leaders and innovators in complementary aspects of early relational health and childhood and maternal health equity recently launched a partnership they believe will benefit everyone from newborn babies and...
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Anti-Oppressive Approaches to Addressing ACEs Associated with Parental Substance Use
“While it is helpful to know which populations need additional support to address ACEs and build resilience among children, it is even more important to know why higher risk conditions exist and to address root causes of inequities that increase the risk of ACEs.” (Camacho, S; Henderson, S.C. 2022). Over the past three decades, research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has gained widespread recognition, catalyzing policies and programs, and mobilizing knowledge focused on applying a...