Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s Post

Improving mental health was the most significant issue to be addressed for children and teenagers according to respondents aged 18-24. The Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC) recently commissioned polling with 2,000 respondents to gather voters views on children’s mental health ahead of the upcoming general election. There needs to be real and substantial change. We sit alongside the coalition and support the call for all political parties to: . Embed whole educational approaches to mental health and wellbeing across all education settings. • Commit at least an additional £1.7bn per year for Integrated Care Systems to deliver a comprehensive mental health pathway for all babies, children and young people aged 0-25. • Increase the provision of early intervention support in the community through the national roll-out of early support hubs in every local area. • Bring forward reform of the Mental Health Act 1983, to ensure that children and young people’s rights are protected and promoted, and that they receive high quality and compassionate care. You can read more about the findings here: https://lnkd.in/ey_um8Sm

📢 Do you work with children in foster care, kinship care and residential care settings? Or are you an allied health professional who works with children who live in care? 📢 Australian Institute of Family Studies and Emerging Minds Australia are running a webinar that will outline practical ways to prioritise the voices of children in out-of-home care that can support their mental health and wellbeing. It will include a First Nation's perspective and advice specific for those working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. This webinar will help you: 📌understand the effects of being in care on children’s participation, identity and self-worth 📌understand the importance of culture and identity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in OOHC 📌understand how conversation and activities that increase participation, identity and self-worth can boost children’s mental health and wellbeing 📌develop strategies to effectively initiate and engage in conversations and activities that enhance children’s participation, identity and self-worth. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gxsAaFTV

Dear Social Workers, Mental Health Providers and Community Leaders! We need your support in addressing recent incidents of police brutality at the University of Texas Austin. Your expertise and compassionate action are crucial in providing resources and support to those in crisis or experiencing trauma. We are creating a comprehensive list of crisis centers and trauma recovery services for University of Texas students and protest attendees. Click on the NASWTX CAB Community Collabsheet: https://lnkd.in/efGF-mgZ To contribute to the spreadsheet, please follow the instructions below: 1. Open the shared NASWTX CAB Community Collabsheet https://lnkd.in/efGF-mgZ 2. Add a new row for each resource you would like to include. 3. Fill in the necessary columns, such as Resource Name, Description, Contact Information, Location, Hours of Operation, Eligibility Criteria, Services Provided, Language Support, Accessibility, Cost/Fees, and Additional Notes. 4. In the Collaborator Name column, please enter your name. This will allow us to thank you personally for your contribution. 5. Provide your email address in the Collaborator Email column so that we can contact you if needed. Your participation will ensure accessible resources for those in need. Together, we can support those affected by police brutality and create a more just community. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to social justice.

Important research on what cities can do for the mental health of young people!

In today's 'Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives' with WFSB TV, we revisit the topic of anxiety with David Barringer, LCSW, this time focused on how to help children and adolescents. https://lnkd.in/ewCxt7np

At CDI, every day we see the transformation in children and their families when they receive the support they need and the tools to sustain healthier lives. The data from our evidence-informed programs clearly demonstrate the positive impact of improved mental health on educational and health outcomes, and on diversion from the criminal justice system. As part of our provincial pre-budget submission, we put forward the following recommendations: • Increase access to evidence-based, trauma-informed children’s mental health and crime prevention programs like Stop Now And Plan® (SNAP), especially in remote communities. • Implement a province-wide risk-need assessment to identify where and for whom immediate support is needed. • Ensure fair compensation for our hard-working, dedicated professionals in the early learning, child care and community-based mental health sectors. CDI believes that investment in children’s mental health today is an investment in the future of all Ontarians.

Each year on May 7th, the U.S. recognizes National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. This day gives our country the opportunity to shine light on children and youth who are impacted by mental health challenges. The theme for 2024 is "Lighting the Path to Social Justice for Children and Youth.” What is social justice? Social justice is - in a nutshell - ensuring that all members of a community feel safe and accepted. It means creating an equitable environment by addressing systemic inequalities and injustices based on factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Evidence shows that children living in impoverished communities are at greater risk of developing mental health disorders later in life. It can be difficult for high-risk children to get the help they need due to negative stigma and limited healthcare access in their community. Additionally, a lack of awareness can prevent caregivers from recognizing the first signs of mental health issues in children, or may underestimate their severity. When we see young patients in our clinic, we ensure that we provide a safe space for them to express their emotions and concerns, and give them appropriate support and treatment tailored to their needs. This day should inspire all of us to not only raise awareness, but emphasize the importance of acceptance of mental health challenges in children. With acceptance comes more advocacy and action to change attitudes, behaviors, and systems. Acceptance is a crucial first step on the path to social justice for children and youth. Make sure you are frequently checking in on the kids in your community and reminding others to do the same! Disclaimer: You may want to consider your individual mental health needs with a licensed medical professional. This page is not meant to give you medical advice as it does not replace a provider client relationship. #children #childrenmentalhealth #childrenmentalhealthawareness #childrenmentalhealthmatters

Do you understand the impact of trauma on a child's life? 🤔 When a person faces danger, their adrenal glands release stress hormones, which help them to react quickly. However, if someone experiences trauma too early in their childhood or for an extended period, their brain may get stuck in alert mode. This can cause problems with self-regulation, distrust of adults, poor social skills, aggression, work avoidance, and shutting down. As an educator, I have encountered students who exhibit these behaviours, and addressing them can be challenging. The Four R’s of Trauma-Informed Care are essential in this context: - Realizing that trauma is common  - Recognizing that it affects everyone at school  - Responding using knowledge about trauma  - Avoiding re-traumatization. Read more about Trauma-Informed Practice https://lnkd.in/g9mApZMK

I love what Tim Barker is doing with Kooth Digital Health (United Kingdom). They are a £20m revenue Uk business with good growth and financial characteristics. And last year won a big contract competitively to deliver their service to the state of California. But that’s not the story…… so what’s the story? Profit with Purpose!!!! They have a greater social purpose, they “create a welcoming special for effective personalised digital mental health care. Accessible to all” - and not only in the UK, they recently won the contract to deliver this service in the state of California. From their 2022 annual report: “We offer rapid and responsive access to support without thresholds, stigma, or waiting lists, in a way that resonates with those in need of help. Our model is responding to a global mental health crisis which is driving long-term demand for digital mental health and is seeing significant ongoing funding commitments. Global mental health crisis The human and economic impact of poor mental health make for deeply concerning reading. In the US, 57% of teen girls feel persistently sad or hopeless. 22% of high school students seriously considered suicide in the past year. In the UK, latest statistics for 2021 show a record 4.3 million people were referred for mental health services, a rise of 15 percent from the previous year. In 2021, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for urgent action to transform access to mental health care for young people, calling it the 'defining public health crisis of our time.” Chapeau Tim! Much needed. Delighted and honoured that you are a Boardwave member. Other CEO members, what’s your “Purpose” and it’s probably not a return to shareholders. Or to grow your business, or make more money? Accelerated by the pandemic, todays talent want to work at businesses that have purpose and meaning. If it’s not a core value or part of your proposition it’s likely to be more challenging to hire and retain your teams. It doesn’t have to relate to your products, but should be integrated into your culture. We don’t exist in isolation to the communities we serve in 2024. That’s why we will be launching our #impactpartner programme on Feb 20th at our next big networking event. Be sure to register https://lnkd.in/gqnG5GPK

We are deeply grateful to GECU for their $50,000 commitment to CHILDREN AT RISK'S “Responding to Childhood Trauma - El Paso” project. This project aims to improve our understanding of mental health and its impact on educational outcomes in El Paso, identify and bridge gaps in the services provided to children and ensure that Texas’ policies affecting children are shaped by insights from the communities they impact. Our goal is for this to lead to more informed and effective solutions for addressing the mental health challenges faced by children in our state and community. Across Texas, but particularly in El Paso, our children are suffering from a mental health crisis. Support this work: >>https://lnkd.in/g3SjBtYX Learn More: 1. A recent study reveals that El Paso has the lowest availability of therapists for supporting Hispanic communities in the U.S. >>https://lnkd.in/ejCzexxg 2. In 2023, 75% of youth with major depression in Texas did not receive any mental health treatment, ranking the state 51st out of 52 nationwide. >> https://lnkd.in/gsxq8NwD