NEWS

Moving Upstream: Opportunities in School Mental Health

Five opportunities fundamental to leveraging this unparalleled moment in school mental health to promote mental health and well-being for all youth.

Schools are struggling to meet rising mental health needs, data shows

Ask most teachers or principals about the mental health of their students this year, and they will tell you stories of how much worse things are than normal: More fights in the hallway. Students unable to focus in class. Depression and sadness.

Advocates fear suspensions could add to pandemic pain for vulnerable students

Ask most teachers or principals about the mental health of their students this year, and they will tell you stories of how much worse things are than normal: More fights in the hallway. Students unable to focus in class. Depression and sadness.

https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/09/southwick-schools-new-drug-abuse-program-will-focus-on-understanding-treatment.html

The Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District will participate in the pilot program of a new drug intervention curriculum that de-emphasizes punishment for drug use, and focuses on dealing with the underlying reasons youth may be using drugs.

Our Children are Suffering, We Must Help Them

In the past few months, my patients and I were just starting to interact again in person. This laid bare the damage caused by Covid, as their emotional pain seemed all the more poignant in three dimensions as opposed to on Zoom. This reality was recently highlighted in a surgeon general’s advisory about pediatric mental health and emergency declarations by the two major medical organizations that oversee the care of children.

Suspended students more likely to get caught up in juvenile justice system, and vice versa

Researchers found that for every suspension a student faces, they are 7% more likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system. Once those students return to school, they are 20% more likely to be suspended.

State AGs open investigation into Instagram's effect on teens

Officials want to know if Instagram is hurting its youngest users.

FCC Approves Texting to 988 to Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) text message line, 988 three-digit dialing code, will take effect by July 16, 2022.

If you're struggling and need someone to listen, please, call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

Advisory: Prescription Stimulant Misuse Among Youth and Young Adults

This Advisory reviews the evidence on prescription stimulant misuse among youth and young adults. It establishes prescription stimulant misuse as a public health problem, identifies associated risk and protective factors, and provides programs and action steps for stakeholders to prevent misuse.

SBIRT in Schools | Massachusetts Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (MASBIRT)

See the iDECIDE Overview featured on the MA SBIRT website!

As school activity shut down amid COVID, 911 drug calls for youth skyrocketed

As teenagers lost structure amid online schooling and the cancellation of activities, the number of 911 calls involving the young and drugs rose dramatically, records show.

Drug overdose deaths hit highest number ever recorded, CDC data shows

Drug overdose deaths rose by close to 30% in the United States in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

Supporting our Educators: Sharing Struggles and Solutions

Dr. Stuart Ablon, iDECIDE Advisory Board member and Director of Think:Kids, a program at Massachusetts General Hospital's Department of Psychiatry, convened educators and administrators to discuss the growing concern around and potential solutions to children's post-pandemic challenging behaviors and lagging skills in school.