CAN Health & Wellness Newsletter – Improving Adolescent Mental Health
May 24, 2022
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As we continue to live in the “new normal,” we have become aware of the unprecedented mental health crisis affecting our youth as well as adults. Use this month to learn about mental health and how to fight the stigma to help the ones in your community get the resources they deserve.
This month’s newsletter shares many resources on mental health: how to prioritize one’s mental health, resources for the classroom, and more.
While the resources in our newsletter focus on the mental health of youth, please don’t forget to take care of yourself either. Explore these resources on how you can prioritize your own mental health as well as campaigns happening in the month of May to see how you can get involved in stopping the stigma surrounding mental health:
- Seize the Awkward
- Mental Health Awareness Month – #MHAM
- 6 Ways to Prioritize your Mental Health via Calm
- 31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health via Mental Health America
In addition to the above resources, we are continuing to share content surrounding the Whole Child Health and Wellness Vision as well as other approaches that prioritize the cumulative wellness of students in our Expanded Learning programs.
In This Newsletter:
Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Report
The CDC has published the report entitled The Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences that nearly half of U.S teens were feeling sad and hopeless. An article on PsychCentral details the most important findings in the report and possible solutions.
A Trusted Space: Redirecting Grief to Growth
The California Department of Education and CalHOPE in partnership with All It Takes have have created a 20 minute professional development session called “A Trusted Space: Redirecting Grief to Growth”. This program was created to provide education and school staff with strategies to build safe and trusted spaces.
FREE – COVID Testing Kits
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Vaccinate All 58 (VA58) Campaign is offering free over the counter (OTC) test kits for community based, faith based and grassroots organizations.
Their goal is to increase the number of people who have access to OTC test kits, especially those who need them most, including those who are uninsured and/or unable to get test kits covered through insurance.
Identifying Warning Signs of Mental Illness in Teens
In BOOST Cafe’s article around May being Mental Health Awareness Month, they explore the emotional pain on youth. Mental illness and emotional pain is typical in children as they grow and mature. This pain needs to be made aware and addressed so that it doesn’t exacerbate any further.
Youth Mental Health ACTION Month
California Children’s Trust is celebrating Youth Mental Health ACTION Month. The Youth Advisory Board is addressing the lack of mental health awareness and turning that awareness into action by setting up peer-to-peer programs in schools, participating in legislative hearings, and helping film documentaries.
Digital Resources on Mental Health
NIH has compiled a list of digital materials on child and adolescent mental health. These resources are to help raise awareness of early diagnosis and treatment in children.
Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
“The terms mental health promotion and prevention have often been confused.” Explore an article by Youth.gov that goes into the differences between the two as well as other mental health resources.
HEAT: Health Equity Action Time
Webinar Series: May 24 and June 28, 2022; 1:00 - 4:00 PM PST
UCSF has put together a three-part webinar series to call the community to foster learning and connection in order to strengthen the system of mental health care for children.
Register for the second and save the date for the third part of the series:
- Session 2: An Unprecedented Reform Landscape in California and What It Means for Bay Area Children and Families - May 24, 2022; 1:00-4:00 PST
- Session 3: Moving from Promise to Practice: Roadmap for the Future - June 28, 2022; 1:00-4:00 PST.
Calling All Afterschool Artists! Lights on Afterschool Poster Contest
Extended Deadline: June 1, 2022
The Lights On Afterschool poster contest has been EXTENDED! This year they’re changing the theme to reflect how youth see themselves and their futures because of their afterschool program! The winning submission will be awarded $500 and will have their design printed on more than 50,000 posters and displayed at more than 8,000 Lights on Afterschool events across the nation.
To learn more about the content and how to submit your artwork, visit their website!
America After 3PM State Data: Afterschool Promoting Health Futures
The latest America After 3PM special report is out! Explore the report to find information on how after school and out-of-school time programs are promoting healthy futures.
Nature-focused Practices with Students
The Greater Good Science Center shared some nature-focused practices to share with students. Nature has been shown to improve health and happiness and can reduce anxiety and negative emotion. Here are some nature-focused practices:
Check Out CAN’s Other Newsletters!
Access the CAN newsletter archives to view past newsletters today! You may be interested in some of our other newsletters as well: