Children's Mental Health
March 26th Rotary Meeting
Announcements and Reminders
Becky Peters announced that invitations for 50th anniversary celebration will be available at next meeting. Each of us will get one extra invitation to invite someone. There are two ways to sign up (1) At front table at a meeting. At that time you will need to name your guest and choose an entrée. Alternatively you can buy your tickets online at Eventbrite.com. If you do, you need to call Lifespan to choose an entrée.
District golf tournament is April 16th.
Sue Lawson reminded us that March 31st is our community grant deadline. Thursday June 25th grantees will be announced.
Art reminded us of the Human Race. Deadline to donate is May 5th. Volunteer Center keeps 25%, we get 75% or give money directly to our foundation.
John Fisher announced Dr. Art and Kelly were given awards from the Rotary Foundation for making a major donation.
Richard announced Beach Clean-up on Saturday March 28th. Meet at Dolphin and Sumner 9:00 AM. By 11:00 you’ll be done and gone!
Stan is being honored on May 20th at Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (across street from Watsonville hospital). Tickets are free!! Just show up!!
Our speaker was Christina Borbely. She spoke about Children's Mental Health Interventions in the Schools.
Christina Borbely from the Center for Applied Research Solutions spoke today about issues around young children and mental health. She is new to Santa Cruz but has worked with health and human service issues and substance abuse disorders in our area. Her focus is on wellness. She reminded us that mental health exists on a continuum from well to chronic conditions.
One major issue currently is how to break down stigma surrounding mental health in children. She stressed that there is a captive audience in public schools and through them we can reach a vast # of children. She used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model to discuss spheres of influence that impact a child’s well-being and stressed that all of this comes to school with the child. She said that prevention oriented actions should be taken so they are ready to learn.
Christina shared some data with us. 79% of children with mental health problems don’t get treatment and 1 in 5 children have a mental illness diagnosis that can be coded. However, in addition others suffer from stress and trauma. Violence and bullying in school are increasing. She stressed that there is a need to increase awareness of these issues so that accommodations can be made. For instance, it is good to have a 504 (IEP) plan in place when a student’s diagnosis is coded (as for example with ADD), but this option does not exist for non-categorized disorders.
Christina explained research results showing that there is a distinct connection between social functioning and ability to learn. Outcomes such as absenteeism, low GPA, low graduation rates, high rates of suspension and poor psychosocial outcomes are associated with non-coded mental health problems. However when a one year intervention program was implemented some of these trends were reversed.
Christina emphasized that interventions can be at individual classroom and district levels and can be very low key. They can include peer and staff supports, safe space, informed adults, positive school climate policies, crisis plans, student success teams, shame reduction strategies and student behavioral supports.
What can we do? One thing is to know resources. There is a Social Norms Initiative operated by Teela Williams at United Way. In addition you can contact NAMI, or dial 211 or on line go to 211.org.