News from the Field Related to Wraparound
How ‘Sesame Street’ is helping kids learn to cope with trauma
October 6, 2017
Sesame Street in Communities has released a new set of free materials designed to help young children and their families deal with trauma. The online resources include videos of the beloved Sesame Street Muppets focused on coping strategies and strengthening children’s natural resilience. The launch was timed with the release of new analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health indicating that nearly half of American children experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). While these experiences have been shown to have a negative impact during childhood and into adulthood, responsive care can help minimize that impact.
Read the NPR article on the Sesame Street in Communities resources»
Research: New Model of Treatment for Youth with Anxiety
October 5, 2017
A report published this month in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) on a study of a “stepped care” model of treatment delivery for children and adolescents with anxiety shows promising results for potential cost and times savings, according to the researchers. In the study 281 youth and teens (6-17 years of age) with clinical anxiety disorders were treated with either traditional or stepped care model. In the stepped care model patients begin with a self-help step and move on to therapy if needed. According to the study results, 40% of those in the stepped care improved with self help and did not need further treatment.
New Research on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Gender Nonconforming & Transgender (LGBQ/GNCT) Youth in the Justice System
October 3, 2017
In an article published in the 2017 issue of the Harvard Kennedy School’s LGBTQ Policy Journal, Angela Irvine and Aisha Canfield examine new data on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Gender Nonconforming, and Transgender (LGBQ/GNCT) Youth in the Justice System. The authors reviewed survey data collected during 2013-2014 from 1,400 youth in seven juvenile detention halls across the country. Of those surveyed, 40 percent of the female population and 13 percent of the male population were LGBQT and gender non-conforming. And 85 percent of the LGBQ/GNCT youth, are also youth of color. The article includes the authors’ recommendations for providing juvenile justice processes to better meet the needs of this population.
Read “Reflections on New National Data on LGBQ/GNCT Youth in the Justice System”»
Research: Psychological Impacts of Natural Disasters on Youth
October 2, 2017
Researchers looked at how to identify children who need support services after natural disasters. They screened 327 children aged 7-11 who were in the path of Hurricane Ike in 2008. Researchers found that the preschool definition of PTSD helped identify children more effectively than the adult-based definition. The researchers also created a workbook for families to help their children cope after a hurricane.
Research: Children Living with Parents who have a Substance Abuse Disorder
September 25, 2017
SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ) August 2017 monthly report focused on children living with parents who have a substance abuse disorder. According to the report, data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health show that about “1 in 8 children (8.7 million) aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year substance use disorder (SUD)”.
Child Mind Institute’s 2017 Children’s Mental Health Report
September 25, 2017
The Child Mind Institute recently published its 2017 Children’s Mental Health Report. This year the report has an emphasis on adolescent brain development and mental health disorders that develop during adolescence and young adulthood.
Research Brief: Benefits of Schools Conducting Assessment of Children’s Mental Health Services
August 28, 2017
AIR (American Institutes for Research) has published a brief on the benefits of having schools assess current mental health programs and services for children. It outlines the recommended steps to conducting an assessment and other resources for schools to consider.
Research: School Exclusion Linked to Long-Term Mental Health Problems
August 23, 2017
A recent article in The Guardian focused on a research study being published in Psychological Medicine, that looked at the impact of school exclusion, or suspension, on long term mental health. Researchers analyzed child and adolescent mental health surveys collected by England’s Department of Health, of more than 5,000 children, their parents and teachers. The study found a “bi-directional association” between psychological distress and exclusion.
Research: School-Based Mental Health Programs Effective
August 21, 2017
A research review published in the September/October 2017 issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry analyzed school-based mental health programs with data on specific mental health outcomes of large scale implementations. The researchers found that the available research shows “‘moderate to strong’ evidence that these interventions are effective in promoting good mental health and related outcomes”.
Data on Student Homelessness
August 18, 2017
In a recent blog post, the National Center for Education Statistics shared data from two recent reports on student homelessness in urban, rural, and suburban settings. For these reports, homeless students are defined as “children/youth who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence”. In 2014-15, the highest percentage of homeless students was in cities, 578,000 students, 3.7 percent, but the percentage was also 2.0 or higher in suburban, rural and town districts.