News from the Field Related to Wraparound
Study shows how comorbid mental health conditions can impact child’s care in hospital
January 9, 2017
Recent research published in Pediatrics in November 2016 is the first study to show how comorbid mental health conditions, such as anxiety, ADHD and depression, can impact a child’s care in the hospital. Based on their analysis of hospital data, researchers found that children hospitalized for medical or surgical procedures who have an existing mental health condition stay in the hospital longer.
Community Schools Can Make a Difference for LGBTQ Youth
January 5, 2017
This recent post from the Center for American Progress highlights the many benefits of community schools that “leverage partnerships between government agencies and community-based service providers to improve the educational achievement of students by caring for the overall well-being of students and their families”. The authors argue that community schools can also improve outcomes for LGBTQ youth by providing access to services and supports.
Read about community school programs that support LGBTQ youth»
New American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement
January 5, 2017
“Addressing Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems” is a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement that outlines effective evidence-based interventions in child care. It covers some of the problems frequently seen in young children including reactive attachment disorder; disruptive behavior disorders; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and anxiety and mood disorders. Lead author, Dr. Mary Margaret Gleason, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Tulane University School of Medicine, points to evidence supporting therapy for young children, over treatment with psychotropic medications.
Read about the new American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement»
Teaching school children about mental health
January 4, 2017
A recent BBC story profiles CuesEd, a program being used in some London schools to help children learn how to recognize, talk about and manage their emotions. The program aims to provide children with knowledge and skills before they reach adolescence.
Read the article about mental health education in English elementary school»
Viewpoint in Favor of Universal Home Visits
January 3, 2017
In this viewpoint piece, Martha Davis, MSS, a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shares her experiences as a home visitor and outlines the benefits of such programs in supporting families.
New Hampshire Program Finds Doctor Visits Help Keep Teens off Drugs and Alcohol
December 22, 2016
A program in New Hampshire is finding that regular conversations with their doctor can be valuable in preventing drug and alcohol use by teens. The state has implemented an evidence-based “screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment” (SBIRT) protocol in 23 medical facilities across the state, thanks in part to grant funding.
New Research: Benefits of Close Paternal Bond
December 20, 2016
A recent study from researchers at Oxford University found a link between a father’s emotional attachment to a child and greater positive behavioral outcomes for the child.
Perinatal mental health interventions deliver many economic and societal benefits
December 20, 2016
Recent research funded by NHS England reviewed evidence on interventions designed to reduce mental health problems during the perinatal period to assess the interventions’ net benefit. The results support the investment in these early interventions as valuable for improved outcomes for mothers and children, as well as health and social care savings and overall societal benefit.
Read the article about research on net benefits of perinatal mental health interventions»
Depression rates growing among adolescents, particularly girls
December 7, 2016
Research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published last month in the journal Pediatrics shows an increase of 37 percent in the rate of adolescents reporting clinical depression from 2005-2014. The rate of teenage girls reporting an episode of clinical depression during the previous year increased from 13.1 percent in 2005 to 17.3 percent in 2014.
KSOC-TV: The Role of Psychotropic Medication in Children’s Mental Health
December 5, 2016
The latest KSOC-TV webcast is now available online featuring a discussion on the role psychotropic medication should have in children’s mental health.