Are you looking for new ways to support the mental health and well-being of the youngest students as you plan for the upcoming school year? Check out the newly released mental health literacy lessons for students in K4-K5 and grades 1-2.
Mental health literacy includes the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to develop and maintain positive mental health, identify mental health challenges in self and others, reduce stigma, and seek appropriate help. The new units include short activities that focus on developing skills that are the building blocks of future mental health literacy, such as developing awareness and regulation of emotions, developing positive self-concept, developing awareness of being part of a larger community, and identifying activities that promote wellness, etc.
Download the lessons on the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) Mental Health Literacy and Wellness Education webpage.
Interested in learning more about implementing these units? Join DPI and the Office of Children’s Mental Health on Wednesday, September 25th, 11:30 am-12:30 pm for a webinar to learn more about how these lessons can help young learners begin to develop the building blocks of mental health literacy, identify resources for educators to build confidence in implementing these activities, and review practical considerations for implementing the activities. Please register for the webinar using the registration link.
If you have questions, reach out to Liz Krubsack at elizabeth.krubsack@dpi.wi.gov or Andrea Turtenwald at Andrea.tutenwald@wi.gov.
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U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy calls out the stress and mental health challenges faced by parents in his most recent advisory – Parents Under Pressure: The Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents. Murthy points to a recent study by the American Psychological Association that shows 48% of parents say most days their stress is completely overwhelming. That compares to 26% of other adults. This points to a serious public health concern for our country.
Stressors include financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns over children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures. Additionally, parents are concerned about their children's mental health. The report says three in four are worried about their kids being anxious or depressed. All of these, in addition to environmental and biological factors, can increase the risk of mental health conditions for individuals. And these impact families as a whole as well as society, including increased health care costs and reduced economic productivity.
The Surgeon General lays out recommendations for action for organizations, employers, government, communities, schools, social services systems, researchers, families, friends, and parents.
Read the advisory as well as the Surgeon General’s commentary.
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OCMH convened three experts on school safety in August to discuss student’s psychological and physical safety at school. Panelists included Trish Kilpin, Director – Office of School Safety, Wisconsin Department of Justice; Heidi Johnson, Communications and PR Manager – Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) Educational Fund; and Laurice Snyder, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Consultant – Center 4ALL at CESA 6. View the recording. See OCMH’s Fact Sheet on School Shootings and Youth Mental Health.
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OCMH is privileged to know and work with many remarkable individuals with lived experience in children’s mental health. In this newsletter we’ve asked Angela Clements, OCMH Lived Experience Partner, to answer questions about mental health support and coping strategies.
Tell us about a time when you felt supported by another person.
I attended a support group for women and met Nancy, and from that connection I was offered a position to work in the field I'm passionate about. This allows me the ease to focus on my court case with my granddaughter and have support along the way.
When was the last time you asked for help?
I asked for help once receiving full guardianship of my granddaughter, and, once again, Nancy has been such a big help and still is today. She has her own nonprofit organization that provides resources for counseling, AODA treatment, legal services, and medical services. Preparations for re-entering the community again begin with life and job skills training, employment opportunities, and support groups. Women that were once victims have become survivors that can be sustained.
What is your go-to coping strategy?
I have faith in God, do a lot of praying, and take walks to clear my mind. I also attend support groups to help me stay grounded.
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Showcasing Solutions – Philanthropic Support of School-based Mental Health
WEA Member Benefits Foundations has worked with philanthropies to fund innovative school-based mental health initiatives in nine Wisconsin school districts. Read their story in OCMH’s latest Showcasing Solutions.
With Showcasing Solutions, OCMH highlights great things going on in children’s mental health in our state. Check out all our Showcasing Solutions
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Children’s Mental Health Fact of the Month
In celebration of OCMH’s 10th Anniversary, OCMH is featuring a children’s mental health fact each month from June through December. This month we focus on suicide by firearm. See it here.
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OCMH Partner Reflections
Also in recognition of OCMH’s 10th Anniversary, OCMH partners are sharing their thoughts on OCMH’s work in children’s mental health over the past 10 years. This month Pablo Navarro, Navarro Professional Counseling Services, shares his thoughts on increased awareness of youth mental health and Kathy Markeland, Executive Director – Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agencies, acknowledges the value of OCMH Fact Sheets. See their reflections.
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10th Anniversary Information
Check out OCMH’s special 10th Anniversary webpage for all the Children’s Mental Health Facts of the Month and Partner Reflections.
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Healing Centered Engagement is a new approach to understanding youth and the issues they face. It is a holistic approach and differs from a trauma-informed care approach by shifting away from asking “what happened to you” to “what’s right with you.
In prior newsletters we’ve focused on a variety of things for organizations and adults to consider in building healing centered engagement. Those are:
- Start by building empathy
- Encourage young people to dream and imagine
- Act with love and caring
- Build critical reflection that draws upon the collective, moral, and emotional aspects of healing.
- Use culturally grounded practices.
This month we look at taking collective action in communities where young people live. Collectively responding to political decisions and practices that exacerbates trauma builds a sense of power and control for young people over their lives. Building this sense of power in young people is a significant feature in building and strengthening protective factors and restoring young people’s holistic wellbeing. Below are some ways this can be done:
- Help young people identify opportunities for civic engagement that interest them (e.g., joining a youth council, contacting their government representatives, or promoting access to healthy foods).
- Engage young people in community problem solving and support them to be representatives of their community. Ideas here include organizing activism groups, encouraging young people to attend public hearings, and to speak at city council or school board meetings.
- For young people age 18 and older, help them register to vote, learn about candidates, volunteer for campaigns, and develop a voting plan that includes where, how, and when they will vote (e.g., transportation, ballot by mail, required ID).
- Work with young people who have disabilities to advocate for local and state legislation that improves access to educational and career opportunities and changes to physical structures (such as building sidewalk and entrance ramps and installing automatic doors to enter buildings) to make them more accessible.
Check back next month as we wrap up our exploration on Healing Centered Engagement.
Source: "Healing Centered Engagement supports not only young people, but adult providers with their own healing." by Dr. Shawn Ginwright, CEO, Flourish Agenda. Read the article.
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Senate Resolution 769. This Resolution, recognizing the importance of mental health for youth in the United States and expressing the pressing need for awareness and support for mental health care for children and adolescents, sponsored by Senators Alejandro Padilla (D-CA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), was agreed to by the U.S. Senate on July 24. Saanvi Arora, executive director of the Youth Power Project, was active in drafting and advocating for the resolution. Teen Helps Write Senate’s New Resolution on Youth Mental Health — She Says Destigmatization Is Only Part of the Equation is an interesting article on Ms. Arora and her advocacy.
September is Suicide Prevention Month
September provides a time to raise awareness of suicide, to shift public perception, spread hope, and share important information to people affected by suicide. Learn more:
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Self-harm and Wisconsin Youth
When students return to school in the fall and after winter break there are increases in self-harm injuries among Wisconsin youth. See the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ informational flyer on self-harm to learn more.
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Parent Peer Supports in Youth and Family Crisis Continuum Grant Opportunity
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Care and Treatment Services is seeking applications to award a contract to embed certified parent peer specialists into the crisis continuum to assist parents/guardians who have youth ages 17 and younger who are experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis. Learn more.
What to do when you have Anxiety – Infographic
An infographic by Twill shares information on what anxiety is, how prevalent it is, and other important and helpful information. See it here.
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Mental Health America (MHA) Resources to Support Young Minds
The focus of MHA’s 2024 Supporting Young Minds guides is youth empowerment. There is information for adults on how they can support the empowerment of young people as well as information for youth on how they can feel empowered to address their own mental health and support each other. MHA has created multiple guides designed to be used year-round:
- Communications/messaging guide – includes key messages, sample email/newsletter content, and social media
- Resource guide – includes crisis/MHA/partner resources, e-learning, and youth book list
- For youth – guide for supporting friends
- For educators – guide for building classroom relationships and culture
- For educators – guide for creating safe spaces
There are also fact sheets, a work sheet, and poster. Download the guides.
Additional Back to School Resources
- From the Child Mind Institute, how to help kids manage worries and have a successful start to the school year. Access the resource.
- From eluna (an organization supporting children and families impacted by grief or addiction), remember at back to school time that transitions can be tough for grieving students. Read more.
- From the Center on Transition Innovations, considerations for mental health support while transition planning. Read the paper.
- Wisconsin Public Radio interview with Linda Hall, Director – Office of Children’s Mental Health, on how to help your student with back-to-school stress. Read the article.
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September is National Family Meals Month
The Family Meals Movement hopes to inspire families to eat at home together more often. Learn more. Research shows that increasing the frequency of family meals increases emotional wellbeing, prosocial behavior, and life satisfaction among youth.
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