May 9th is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)! There are so many special “days” anymore, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of them all. But this day (and, in fact, the whole month) deserves our attention. This movement began in 1994 with the goal of “caring for every child’s mental health.” That’s a goal we can get behind anytime, but particularly if you look at the challenges facing children today.
In a nationally representative survey of 12- to 17-year-old youth and their trauma experiences, 39 percent reported witnessing violence, 17 percent reported physical assault, and 8 percent reported a lifetime prevalence of sexual assault. …. When looking at rates of exposure to traumatic events, a nationally representative survey reported that among 12- to 17-year-old youth, 39 percent reported witnessing violence, 17 percent reported physical assault, and 8 percent reported a lifetime prevalence of sexual assault. (SAMHSA).
When we think about statistics like these, our children’s mental health seems under significant attack. But the good news is there are things we an do to defeat those statistics and protect our children. Research also shows that children can have better outcomes, even when they experience trauma, when they have parents who are there for them, friends and community connections, and a chance to develop their own competencies. So as scary as the realities our children face, we can be the buffer that makes the difference.
The theme for National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is “Heroes of Hope.” Here are some examples of those heroes.
The Native American Rehabilitation Association has created a Facebook page for their celebration of the event. Go here and take a look at their Warriors to protect against trauma.
Brad Meltzer is making his book, “Heroes for my Son” available online for this celebration. Take a moment and read it to your children.
Be a hero of hope! Here are some suggestions on how to do that. Even if you only have a minute, say something encouraging to a child you know. Even just say Thank you.
Below is a speech Brad Meltzer did for TED. It’s for all of us. Be a Hero of Hope today!
I have been arguing with myself about this post for the last two weeks. I had pretty much decided that my white, social worker voice had no place in the discussion about what happened to Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. I would seem at best presumptuous and at worst exploitative if I spoke of this debate in a post. And then I read this article by KJ DELL’ANTONIA in the New York Times and I found myself rethinking my original position. This is a conversation we all need to have with each other, regardless of our race. But more importantly, it’s a conversation we must have with our children.
When I was growing up we lived in a rural section of western New York. There was no diversity in my high school or my neighborhood, although it’s hard to call my road a neighborhood considering the distance between houses. But I was a child of the 60′s with parents who cared about justice and equality, in principle even with no direct application in practice. So when I think back on the “talks” that my parents had with my brother and I about authority and police and respect, we got “the talk.” But it truly was a different version. The white version. The one that reminds you to respect authority and answer politely when speaking to adults or teachers or police officers. And we were told in no uncertain terms the consequences we would face if either of our parents ever heard of us responding in any other way.
But we were never told to be afraid for our lives.
My parents never had to instill in my brother the true sense of urgency that the choices he would make in regard to a confrontation with an authority figure were a matter of life and death. They let him know he would get his butt kicked when he got home, but they never had to make sure he chose correctly so he would come home. Only if you can truly understand that basic and horrible difference can you get a tiny little sense of this talk in black and white.
So where does that leave us? Hopefully talking. There have been so many posts and programs and pundits talking about this subject. That’s the other reason I debated about this post. I am sure it will be hard to be heard above the din. But maybe if just one family, of any color, sits down at the dinner table and actually has a conversation about race, it will be worth it.
Talk to your teenagers about race in this country. Have “the talk” with your black teenage boys and make sure that your white teenage boys know what that talk is about. When you are teaching your teenagers about respect and authority and honor, teach them to stand their ground for what is right.
OK, so you don’t think you really need any tips to parent your teen? Or you just think that you don’t need one more email cluttering up your inbox? Or you think we don’t have very good ideas about tips for you? With all of these being a possibility, we decided to tempt you with [...]
I am sure that many of you have heard about the latest trend for pre-teen girls to post videos on YouTube asking if they are pretty or ugly. Here is a discussion from ABC’s Good Morning American just this week. There are lots of issues being discussed around these videos, such as the insecurities of [...]
There is always so much talk about New Year’s Resolutions and we break most of them within hours after we make them. Just what does that say about us? I suspect only that we are human. It seems like a good idea to reflect on why we make New Year’s Resolutions, and then maybe we [...]
Here are Underdue Social Services, lots of emails come around during the holidays with great information. Here is one to share with all of you. It’s a bit of really good advice for Thanksgiving Dinner. Apr 26, 2011 | By B. Lynn Ms. Lynn is an educator and freelance writer living in Pennsylvania. She has [...]
All of us have memories of various times in our lives. Sometimes they are of good times and special, fun events. Sometimes they are memories of sad times or loss. Experiencing your present moments doesn’t mean that you have no memories. On the contrary, it is often things that happen now that remind us of [...]
I am being asked this question a lot lately. Some might say it goes with the territory, as my work involves talking about and understanding feelings. But it’s important to look closer at both the question and my answer. We all have situations and experiences that challenge us throughout our lives. When we face illness [...]
We talked in a recent post about living in the present and I promised a Present Moment Series. The series will include examples, exercises, and ways to enjoy your present moments. Here we go with Present Moment One. There is simple fire safety technique called Stop, Drop and Roll. You remember it. You probably heard [...]
When we had all storms and tornadoes in the spring, I bought a weather radio. I heard about people who were sleeping soundly and suddenly found themselves in the midst of a terrible tornado. That sounded pretty scary, so I thought I should be warned if one was approaching. After about 2 months I was [...]
Be a hero of hope! Here are some suggestions on how to do that. Even if you only have a minute, say something encouraging to a child you know. Even just say Thank you. 
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities