December is Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month
During the month of December, awareness is being built around seasonal affective disorder. Also referred to as SAD or seasonal depression, there treatment is available for this disorder and hope can be found for the 16 million Americans struggling through it every year.
What is seasonal affective disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression related to the changing of seasons. Most sufferers live far from the equator where daylight becomes scarce in the winter months. Linked to a biochemical imbalance occurring in the brain, SAD can cause bouts of fatigue, depression, and social withdrawal.
What are the symptoms?
Seasonal affective disorder is more than just the “winter blues.” People with seasonal affective disorder experience mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. These changes usually occur during the fall and winter months, and they can be distressing and interfere with day-to-day life.
Symptoms include:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
- Change in appetite
- Change in sleeping patterns
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Get more information at NIMH and this PDF factsheet.
988 Is Now Live!
More about 988
|
988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:
- Thoughts of suicide
- Mental health or substance use crisis, or
- Any other kind of emotion distress
People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.
Printable PDF handouts in English and Spanish explain the basics about 988.
|
The Center for Safer Schools will offer free, virtual School Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training during the first quarter of 2023. The sessions will be hosted by the CFSS in partnership with the BeTA Unit of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and will be conducted by SIGMA.
Behavioral threat assessment is a best practice for helping to identify potential active shooter incidents, stalking and other targeted violence in K-12 schools and school districts. An effective, functioning behavioral assessment team is a critical component of keeping schools safe and preventing violence. Behavioral threat assessment and management provides a proactive, evidence-based approach for identifying individuals who might pose a threat and for providing intervention before a violent incident occurs.
BTAM training provides fundamental information about school violence and how prevention is possible. The sessions cover how to build and operate a school threat assessment team at the school or district level.
BTAM training provides detailed instructions on specific procedures to use when addressing threatening behavior in school, including how to screen cases, gather information, analyze the information, make an assessment and implement an intervention plan when needed. The sessions include multiple group exercises in which participants can practice using these procedures.
For more information on School Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training, contact SAC Brent Culbertson (bculbertson@ncsbi.gov, 828-782-0324).
Threat Assessment Training (tentative dates): Jan. 11, 18 and 25; Feb. 8, 15 and 22; March 8, 15, 22 and 29
**NC Healthy Schools Office Hours: December 13th at 3pm TODAY! **
|
 Join the NC Healthy Schools Team for our December Office Hours to ask questions, share about your recent efforts, and meet others across NC addressing the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child.
We are fortunate to have Diane Beth, with the NC Division of Child and Family Well-Being, join us on December 13th, to engage in discussion:
“Weighty” Matters: Inclusive & Compassionate Approaches to
Whole Person, Whole Community Health
Current weight-focused efforts within our communities and settings (healthcare, schools, media, etc.) may be contributing to weight bias and stigma which can cause harm. This discussion will highlight some of these practices and share evidence-based principles and resources on using a weight-inclusive and compassionate lens.
Presenter: Diane Beth, MS, RDN, LDN
Diane serves as a Nutrition Consultant in the Division of Child & Family Well-Being, NC Department of Health & Human Services.
To join this meeting, simply select the link below:
NC Healthy Schools Office Hours
Tuesday, December 13th at 3pm
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
|
|
Resource Webinar
|
The Facts About Student Vaping and Approaches to Prevention
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM ET
|
|
|
Attention: State and District Leaders, School Administrators, Educators, Student Support Personnel, Parents, and Education Stakeholders
|
|
|
The U.S. Department of Education is hosting a webinar series to address hot topics that are on the top of educators’ minds. After sharing federal updates, the series features lessons learned and best practices from faculty, staff, schools, districts, institutions of higher education, and other places of educational instruction. It also shares a variety of useful resources.
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join the next Lessons from the Field webinar, The Facts About Student Vaping and Approaches to Prevention.
|
|
|
The vaping epidemic has reversed the decades long decline in tobacco use among youth. Marketing for e-cigarettes target young people with “fun” “kid-friendly” flavors and usage among youth has skyrocketed. In this webinar, experts will share data on vaping use among young people and the impact of vaping on their development and health. Then panelists will discuss a variety of approaches that teach young people about the dangers of vaping, including online curricula in health classes, alternatives to school suspensions for vaping and other tobacco infractions that focus on educating students on the risks, and creating full wraparound support that includes peer-support, community-support, prevention, intervention, and treatment. Join us to explore strategies you can implement in your school to prevent and reduce vaping among young people!
|
|
|
- Cindy Carraway-Wilson, Training Specialist, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE), Director of Training, Youth Catalytics
- Randi Tolstyk, Public Health Analyst, Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Dr. Ruben Baler, Health Scientist, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA)
- Lee Anne Dodge, Program Director, SoPo Unite (Drug Free Communities Coalition), ME
- Robert Ostbye, Statewide Policy Coordinator, Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida, Florida Department of Health, FL
- Alexandra Parks, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Programs, Truth Initiative, DC
- Dr. Thomas Ylioja, Clinical Director, Health Initiatives, National Jewish Health, CO
|
|
|
Resources for this event will be posted on the event webpage.
|
|
|
You must register to participate in this presentation.
|
|
Resource: Attendance Works
Support attendance and engagement in the winter months!
Every winter, bad weather and illness can present challenges to getting to school. Students might also have to stay home due to Covid-19.
Your partnership with families is crucial to ensuring students get to school every day possible. The tools and resources in our Stay the Course: Winter Messaging Toolkit can help educators partner with parents, caregivers and community members on strategies to overcome common wintertime barriers that stand in the way of getting students to school.
- Parent flyer
- Sample letter
- Sample robocall
- Ideas and tips for schools, districts, and community leaders
Legislative Updates
 |
View the K-12 Education Office of Government and Community Affairs Update from Friday, December 9, 2022.
View here.
|
NC School Social Work Association News
NEW Live Website!
https://www.ncsswa.net
Spring Day Conference
|
Reconnect,Restore,Revive!
Many of us are coming with more weight of the workload on us than ever before so it is our objective to link arms to lighten the load and refresh our spirits to continue the good work that is within us all. We are looking forward to reconnecting with so many of our friends and colleagues across the state. It has been too long since we have all been able to get together and now is the time. Look forward to engaging breakout sessions and a keynote speaker that will revive the passions that reside in all of us.
Join us March 10, 2023 for our One Day Spring conference with open hearts ready to reconnect, be restored and leave revived!
|
|
|
Keynote Speaker: Cheryl Fuller
|
|
|
|
Cheryl Fuller has a Bachelor's degree in Child Development and Family Relations, Masters degrees in Counseling and in Educational Leadership. She has certifications in elementary teaching, school counseling and school administration. Her personal interests led her to obtain certificates in Trauma Informed Practices, Social/Emotional Learning, Family Trauma Professional, and Individual Trauma Professional. Ms. Fuller has worked in the field of education for 36 years as a teacher, counselor and school principal. She is the author of the recently released book “Peace by Piece” which is a trauma narrative.
|
|
|
The conference will cover a range of topics:
- Student Engagement
- Partnering with Parents/Guardians
- Self Care
- McKinney Vento 101
- Trauma and the Brain
- Gangs 101
We will also tackle harder discussions around masters pay for our School Social Workers with various politicians.
|
|
|
|
Place: Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh Durham Research Triangle,
201 Harrison Oaks Blvd, Cary, NC 27513
Phone: (919) 677-1840
Time: 9am - 3pm (Registration opens at 7:30am)
|
|
REGISTRATION FEES (10% discount for members)
- Early Bird Conference cost: $130 per person (Dec 6, 2022 - Jan 13, 2023)
- Regular Conference cost: $150 per person (Jan 14, 2023 - Feb 24, 2023)
- Student and Retirees cost: $120 per person
The one day conference includes grab and go breakfast items and lunch.
There will be a DJ to keep us energized and self care stations to
keep us refreshed.
|
|
|
Winter Break Wishes
This is a short newsletter because I know mental & physical exhaustion is setting in, and a break is in sight. Take the break! Rest, celebrate, practice self-care, and PLEASE stay safe and well.
See you in the new year.
~Pachovia
Receiving this as a forward? Subscribe to this NCDPI School Social Work newsletter here.
Enter your email, then advance to the next screen that will give you a list of subjects and scroll down to find School Social Work.
The links on this page will bring you to third party websites, owned and operated by independent parties, over which NCDPI has no control. Any link you make to or from these 3rd Party Websites will be at your own risk. Any use of these 3rd Party Websites and any information you provide will be subject to and governed by the terms of the 3rd Party Website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy, and security.
Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, NCDPI is not in any way associated with the owner or operator of any of the 3rd Party Websites or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such 3rd Party Websites. NCDPI does not endorse and makes no warranties, representations, or undertakings relating to the content of any 3rd Party Website.
