Blog

By Sasha Khokha, KQED, August 23, 2019 In 2004, the National Institute of Mental Health estimated that about a third of adolescents (ages 13-18) have been or will be seriously affected by anxiety in their lifetimes. More recently, a study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics concluded that more than one in twenty U.S. children (ages 6-17) had anxiety or depression in 2011-2012. And a UCLA survey of college freshman conducted each year, found in 2017 that close...

By Jason Sanchez, EdSource, August 24, 2019 Before you make any law that affects public education, please talk to teachers — teachers from rural and urban areas as well as poorer and wealthier areas. Students, parents and teachers represent the largest proportion of the population that is directly affected by laws impacting public education. Please spend most of your time talking with them to understand how they will be affected. Then talk to school and district administrators, lobbyists and...

California is about to launch an ambitious campaign to train tens of thousands of Medi-Cal providers to screen children and adults up to age 65 for trauma, starting on January 1, 2020. It is well-established that the early identification of trauma and providing the appropriate treatment are critical tools for reducing long-term health care costs for both children and adults. Research has shown that individuals who experienced a high number of traumatic childhood events are likely to die...

By K. Hecht, P. Berman & A. Hosack, Here I am alone in the woods. I can’t get my mind to slow down!! Am I going crazy??? Claire has been wandering around the woods behind the Carsons house. She has finally found a spot that looks like her “special place” with Larry. She is sitting on a blanket with her notepad on her lap, covered in her tears. She is supposed to be writing down her memories of Larry. This is the second day she has done nothing. At least this time, she didn’t fall asleep...

By Meg Isbitski, Tapinto Hillsborough, August 25, 2019 Approximately 200 community members, politicians, teachers and family members met at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens recently for a panel discussion on a disturbing, emerging trend: The increase in black youth suicide, especially among boys between the ages of 5-11. Spearheaded by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12th), First Baptist’s Pastor and former New Jersey Secretary of State DeForest “Buster” Soaries Jr. provided...

By Kelly Burch, The Fix, August 23, 2019 People who have a specific gene mutation and who experience adverse experience early in life increase their risk for alcoholism and drug use, according to a study released this week. The study, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that a mutation of the gene COMT, which helps the body manage dopamine, is connected with increased risk for alcoholism and drug use when people with the mutation experience early...

CRI Trauma-Informed Training for Trainers Course 1 Webinar - 4 part Course Trauma-Informed Training for Trainers is a course that prepares individuals to conduct CRI’s Trauma-Informed Certification Program, Course 1 in his or her organization or agency. Attendee must have taken CRI’s Trauma-Informed Certification Course 1 as a prerequisite for this course. This online 4 Part [3 hours per part] Course will be held via Zoom on 4 Consecutive Thursdays. August 29th, September 5, September 12,...

We'll get you ready to use creative expression with the kids you serve with our free webinars. Each one offers 1 hour of curated learning and 1:1 time with a mental health professional or education specialist.

By Christina Caron and Katherine Zoepf August 22, 2019 In more than 700 communities across the country, teachers are supporting students of all ages — and their parents — outside the classroom. Even for the youngest children, the benefits can be profound. Yumna al-Kashto is only 4, but she’s already had to adapt to lots of changes in her life. She was born in Antakya, Turkey, after intense fighting forced her parents and four older siblings to flee their home in Idlib, the Syrian opposition...

By Elizabeth J. Gifford, Lindsey Eldred Kozecke, Megan Golonka, et. al., JAMA Network, August 23, 2019 Question: Is parental incarceration associated with increased odds of offspring receiving psychiatric diagnoses during young adulthood and experiencing obstacles that can derail a successful transition to adulthood (eg, in health, legal, financial, and social domains)? Findings: This cohort study, using data from a community-representative, longitudinal study, found that parental...

By Briana Pastorino, Loma Linda University, August 22, 2019 New research demonstrates that using the Whole Child Assessment (WCA), which was developed at Loma Linda University Health, improves identification of child-adverse childhood experiences (Child-ACEs) during a routine well-child doctor visit versus not using a screening tool. Ariane Marie-Mitchell, MD, PhD, MPH , lead author of the study and a preventive medicine physician at Loma Linda University Health, said ACEs are a growing...

By Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, MS., August 22, 2019 Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, is the Chief Executive Officer at the International Association of Forensic Nurses. jpw@forensicnurses.org In much the same way that Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder drew domestic violence out of the shadows two decades ago, the #MeToo movement is shining a spotlight on sexual violence. Stories and experiences that were once discussed privately in hushed tones have now become a society-wide conversation.