October Is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
October is the month in which we highlight the need for depression awareness and accessible and affordable mental health screenings. Read more ›
News related to: mental health
CHC in the Press: The Importance of Checking In — CHC Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Ramsey Khasho
In an interview withe the Nob Hill Gazette, CHC’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Ramsey Khasho, offers invaluable insight on what many children, young adults and families have been facing — and invites parents to take an active approach to their children’s mental health. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: How CHC Is Leading an Emotional Recovery for Silicon Valley Families
CHC has been a hub for resources for youth mental health, learning differences, ADHD, anxiety, depression and autism. The year 2023 will mark 70 years since Peninsula-based pediatrician Dr. Esther B. Clark founded Children’s Health Council as “a place where kids come first,” with its clinical services, community clinic and the Sand Hill School and Esther B. Clark Schools. Numerous points of connection, including a podcast, blog, workshops, resource library and now, telehealth access, have expanded greatly over the last year to meet increased demand. Read more ›
Children’s Health Council Awarded $2.5 Million to Provide COVID-19 Mental Health Crisis Recovery by Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall Initiative
PALO ALTO, Calif. February 11, 2021– Twitter and Square Co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey has awarded Children’s Health Council (CHC) $2.5 million to support the Bay Area agency’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Initiative to build capacity to respond to the mental health needs of children, teens, young adults and families that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Read more ›
CHC in the News: Are the Kids Alright? Teens Speak Out About the Emotional Toll of a Year in Isolation
Nine months into the global pandemic, Riley Capuano told a grid of faces on a Zoom screen why she and her peers needed schools to reopen.
“I’ve never seen this many students struggling with mental health,” the Los Altos High School junior said during a virtual school board meeting on Dec. 14. “Being cooped up in your home all day is really, really tough. Read more ›
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Mental Health month creates awareness about the unique experiences and struggles individuals who identify as BIPOC encounter with respect to mental health. Read more ›
May Is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate the community about mental and behavioral health issues, promote access to care and treatment, and reduce the stigma associated with mental health challenges. Read more ›
Reddit Teams Up With Crisis Text Line to Support Users Who May Be Suicidal or at Risk of Self-Harm
On Wednesday, March 4, Reddit announce that is has joined forces with Crisis Text Line, a text message based crisis support hotline, to provide counseling to users who might be at risk of self harm. Anyone on Reddit can now flag a fellow user who they think might be struggling with self-harm or suicide based on something they post on the site. Read more ›
Michael Phelps Named PRWeek’s 2020 Communicator of the Year
Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps is being honored as PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year in recognition of his work to reduce stigma around depression and mental health issues. Read more ›
Bay Area Doctors Target Health Consequences of Childhood Trauma
A screening tool developed by Bay Area pediatricians to identify adverse childhood experiences, ranging from homelessness and food insecurity to physical and sexual abuse, will now help doctors statewide address trauma affecting patients’ health. Read more ›
California Pushes Back School Start Times for Middle and High School Students
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Sunday that pushes school start times later. Under the new law, middle schools will start classes at 8 a.m. or after, while high schools will start classes at 8:30 a.m. or after. Optional early classes will still be allowed.
The law applies to public and charter schools, though rural school districts are exempt. The new start times go into effect by July 1, 2022, or when a school’s collective bargaining agreement with its employees expires, whichever is later. Read more ›
U.S. Department of Education Announces New Grant Awards to Address School Safety and Improve Access to Mental Health Services
The U.S. Department of Education announced $71.6 million in new funding to enhance safety in schools and improve student access to mental health resources. The Depart of Education made the awards under four grant programs, which support recommendations identified in the final report issued by the Federal Commission on School Safety. Read more ›
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week takes place from October 6 – 12, 2019. Every year during Mental Illness Awareness Week, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) works to educate the public, eliminate stigma and advocate for better access to mental health care. Read more ›
The State of Mental Health in America 2020
Mental Health America (MHA) released new state rankings in its most recent report, 2020 State of Mental Health in America. Read more ›
South Bay Spiritual Leaders Say Hate, Not Mental Illness, Is What Perpetuates Gun Violence
More than 80 clergy of diverse faiths unify to issue a proclamation to stand against hatred and to stand beside those with mental illness. Read more ›
Hate and Guns Are a Public Health Crisis Says American Psychological Association President
After the most recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, American Psychological Association President Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD, issued a statement in which she asserted that guns, racism, bigotry and hatred are fueling a “public health crisis” in the United States.
Read more ›
California Law Puts a Suicide Hotline Number on School ID Cards
California high school and middle school students will have some lifesaving information at their fingertips as they go back to school this year. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: ‘Mental Health Doesn’t Go Away Over the Summer:’ Local Organizations See Spike in Demand for Services
Sarah Pistorino saw a therapist through the end of her freshman year at Sacred Heart Preparatory School. Then summer came — and with it, the end of her academic stress and fatigue — so she pressed the pause button on her therapy. But when school started up again in the fall, she felt a decline in her mental health. She now continues therapy through the summer months. Read more ›
California Pediatricians to Begin Screening Children for Traumatic Experiences in 2020
Has your child ever lived with a parent or caregiver who had mental health issues, such as depression? Witnessed a parent or caregiver being screamed at, insulted or humiliated by another adult? Been separated from their parent or caregiver due to foster care or immigration?
Those are some of the questions on a survey that California pediatricians will use to screen millions of children for traumatic experiences beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: The Complicated Relationship Between Screen Time and Depression
Some experts think that the rise in mental health problems in youth can be tied to an event in 2007: The introduction of the iPhone. Psychologist and author Jean M. Twenge wants us to believe that the “iGen”, the generation shaped by smartphones and social media use, born between 1995 and 2012 is “on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades.” Read more ›
CHC in the Press: In the Community—Welcoming a New Mental Health Services Space to East Palo Alto
Children’s Health Council (CHC) mental health services coordinator Divier Wallace understands the importance of supporting his community.
“As someone who grew up in East Palo Alto during the 1990s when times were very tough, I am so pleased to be able to come back and work with my community to provide services for families in need, in their language of choice,” said Wallace, speaking at the recent grand opening of the new East Palo Alto office and clinical space of the Ravenswood Initiative, a CHC project. Read more ›
May is Mental Health Month
Did you know that 1 in 5 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 have or will have a serious mental illness? Or that 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24?
May is Mental Health Month was started 70 years ago by Mental Health America, to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone. Read more ›
More U.S. Youth Seeking Help During Psychiatric Emergencies
The number of young people visiting U.S. emergency rooms with psychiatric problems is rising, driven largely by a surge in teens and minority youth seeking urgent help for mental illnesses, a new study suggests. Read more ›
One in Six U.S. Kids Have Mental Health Disorders, but Only Half Receive Treatment
Roughly in six U.S. kids have at least one mental health disorder, and only about half of them receive treatment from a mental health professional, a new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics suggests. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: Children’s Health Council Expands to East Palo Alto
Youth mental health nonprofit Children’s Health Council has opened a new location in East Palo Alto with the ambitious goal of serving five times as many children as the organization currently does in that community.
Children’s Health Council, which has been providing mental health services at no cost to children and families for five years in East Palo Alto, parts of Menlo Park and Redwood City, can now do so out of a physical home at 1848 Bay Road. Read more ›
Should Childhood Trauma Be Treated As A Public Health Crisis?
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows how the effects of childhood trauma persist and are linked to mental illness and addiction in adulthood. And, researchers say, it suggests that it might be more effective to approach trauma as a public health crisis than to limit treatment to individuals. Read more ›
Generation Z Reported the Most Mental Health Problems
Many members of Generation Z — young people between 15 and 21 — have taken more active roles in political activism this year, and a new survey indicates that the state of the nation is to blame for this generation’s stress levels. Read more ›
Elementary Students with Depression Are More at Risk for Skill Deficits
Early elementary students with symptoms of depression are much more likely to be at risk for academic deficits, according to new research. Read more ›
CHC and Stanford Children’s Health Launch Expanded Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for High School Teens Facing Severe Mental Health Challenges
Just over a year ago, CHC opened its doors to a new Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for teens in Palo Alto. Now, in collaboration with Stanford Children’s Health, the program is expanding to serve more adolescents struggling with self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, severe anxiety and depression.
Minorities Much Less Likely to Access Mental Health Care, State Data Suggests
White people enrolled in Medi-Cal access mental health treatment at about twice the rate of other ethnic groups, even though they make up fewer than a quarter of plan enrollees, new state data suggests. Read more ›
‘Gaming Disorder’ Has Been Classified As a Mental Health Condition by the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization has added “gaming disorder” to the list of mental health conditions.
The addition will appear in the new version the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the WHO’s standardized list of diseases and other medical conditions used by countries around the world. Read more ›
Sex and Drugs Decline Among Teens, but Depression and Suicidal Thoughts Grow
One in seven high school students reported misusing prescription opioids, one of several disturbing results in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationwide survey of teenagers that revealed a growing sense of fear and despair among youth in the United States.
The numbers of teenagers reporting “feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” suicidal thoughts, and days absent from school out of fear of violence or bullying have all risen since 2007. The increases were particularly pointed among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: ‘Breaking the Silence’ on Youth Mental Health
“There is so much I wish someone had told you.”
This quote, from an anonymous teenager directed to her future self, is from a new book a group of local teenagers wrote to address their sense that there is a lack of guidance to help young people cope with mental health issues. An unfiltered view of the experiences of local teens, the book aims to help any reader, young or old, better understand mental illness. Read more ›
CDC: U.S. Suicide Rates Have Climbed Dramatically
Suicide rates have increased in nearly every state over the past two decades, and half of the states have seen suicide rates go up more than 30 percent. Suicide is a major public health issue, accounting for nearly 45,000 deaths in 2016 alone. That is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta decided to take a comprehensive look at suicides from 1999 to 2016. Read more ›
Kaiser Permanente and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry Team Up to Promote Importance of Mental Resilience
Kaiser Permanente and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors have teamed up for a televised message about how mental resilience helps the NBA All-Star grow as a person and as a top-level athlete — and how it can help anyone overcome day-to-day hardships and excel. Read more ›
What Would I Tell My Younger Self?
Every day in May, throughout National Mental Health Awareness Month, the Child Mind Institute will share stories from prominent individuals speaking to their younger selves about growing up with a mental health or learning disorder. Read more ›
Noted Child Psychiatrist Harold Koplewicz, MD, Speaks Out on the Parkland Shooting
Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology and President of the Child Mind Institute has spoken out on the Parkland shooting and the urgent need to make mental health a priority for research and action. Read more ›
How Making Art Helps Teens Better Understand Their Mental Health
Tori Wardrip, an art teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Billings, Montana, wanted to explore the benefits of art more deeply while addressing some of the mental health issues she saw students experiencing. Read more ›
Poll: Parents Not Confident Schools Can Assist Child with Chronic Disease, Mental Health Issues
Just 38 percent of parents are very confident in schools’ ability to assist a student suspected of having a mental health problem, according to a new report from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan.
Most parents (77 percent) are sure schools would be able to provide first aid for minor issues, such as bleeding from a cut. But parents are less confident about a school’s ability to respond to more complex health situations, such as an asthma attack or mental health problem. Read more ›
Contra Costa’s At-Risk Youth Suffer From Shortage of Psychiatrists
Since July 1, 2016, Contra Costa County lost five psychiatrists who serve the county’s at-risk youth — minors in foster care and juvenile hall and victims of child sexual exploitation and domestic violence — and they have yet to replace them.
At a Family and Human Services Committee hearing on Monday, county officials responded to a civil grand jury report claiming that there is on average a 1-to-310 ratio of psychiatrists to cases of children with moderate to severe mental health issues. Sometimes it’s even worse. Read more ›
Taking a Mental Health Day: Changing Attitudes in the Workplace
An American Psychological Association survey in 2016 found less than half of working Americans say the climate in their workplace support employee well-being.
Madalyn Parker, 26, sent an email to her team at work saying she’d be out of office for a few days to focus on her mental health. The response she received from her company’s CEO has sparked a larger discussion about what is a rarely-talked topic in the workplace. Read more ›
UCSB Researchers Study the Effectiveness of an Innovative Program Designed to Help Youth Learn About Mental Health
Mental Health Matters, a program of the Mental Wellness Center, is in place in 35 classrooms in schools in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Buellton, helping 11- and 12-year-old children learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of six major mental illnesses: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and stress disorders, major depression, bipolar disorders, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Mental Health Matters is an innovative curricular unit designed for students approaching or in adolescence whereby they are taught basic facts about mental wellness. Two formats are available: one for sixth graders and one for ninth graders. Students learn to recognize symptoms of mental health disorders and that treatment is available. A secondary objective is to directly address the stigma too often associated with mental illness. The goal is to increase the students’ understanding of mental illness, reduce the associated stigma and share wellness practices.
But, does program actually work? Read more ›
Gunn Grad Leads Local Crisis Text Line Effort
Libby Craig, a Palo Alto native and Gunn High School graduate, spent four hours every Sunday night for several months this year as a volunteer crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line, a free, confidential, 24/7 support service accessible nationwide by simply texting the number 741741. Recently, she joined the nonprofit organization full time and is leading Crisis Text Line’s efforts to grow the service in the Bay Area, in part in response to the youth suicide clusters in her own hometown. Read more ›
Kids in Crisis: One-Third of California 11th-Graders Surveyed Say They Are Chronically Sad
In a potential crisis crossing demographic lines, one-third of California’s 11th-graders and one-quarter of seventh-graders reported feeling chronically sad or hopeless over the past 12 months, a survey released on July 18 showed.
The California Healthy Kids Survey also found that about 19 percent of both ninth-graders and 11th-graders seriously considered attempting suicide.
Among the questions, students were asked if they felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more that it stopped them from doing usual activities — symptoms of depression. Their answers, compared with the previous survey two years ago, represented a 1 percentage-point increase for ninth-graders, and less than a percentage point increase for seventh and 11th-graders.
Facebook Rolls Out Suicide-Prevention Tools Globally
Facebook is rolling out worldwide tools aimed at preventing suicide, expanding its reach beyond the United States. Working with mental health groups such as Forefront, Lifeline and SAVE.org, Facebook started working on suicide prevention about a decade ago after a string of teen suicides in Palo Alto.
Since then, as Facebook has grown to 1.6 billion users worldwide, social media is playing a larger role in how people — especially teens — share their thoughts and lives with others. Read more ›
Young Minds Matter
Katherine Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched “Young Minds Matter,” a new series designed to lead the conversation with children about mental and emotional health.
The Duchess of Cambridge serves as a guest editor for The Huffington Post – United Kingdom to discuss problems, causes and most importantly solutions to the stigma surrounding the UK’s mental health crisis among children. Read more ›
U.S. Panel Reaffirms Depression Screening for Adolescents
Adolescents between 12 and 18 years old in the U.S. should be screened for depression, according to guidelines reaffirmed by a government-backed panel of prevention experts.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says about 8 percent of U.S. adolescents experience major depression each year. Less is known about how common the condition is among younger children, however. Read more ›
Disturbing Suicide Cluster Prompts CDC to Start Investigation in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, members of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s epidemiological assistance team are scheduled to begin an investigation this week on the “suicide contagion” risk in a similar way they may investigate a viral or bacterial outbreak that spreads through a community. As federal officials arrive in Palo Alto, they will face a community that is trying to find innovative ways to combat suicide when it becomes a “contagion.” Read more ›
Parents Start Local Mental-Health Support Group
A group of parents who saw a need for a locally based, ongoing group to support other parents concerned about the mental health and well-being of their teens will be launching such a group this month.
The mental-health subcommittee of parent-advocacy group SELPA 1 CAC will host its first “Parent Chat” on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Los Altos Library. The group is supposed to be peer-driven, though a licensed marriage and family therapist will attend as a facilitator, and is open to parents of any children ages 14 and up. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: The Importance of Checking In — CHC Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Ramsey Khasho
In an interview withe the Nob Hill Gazette, CHC’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Ramsey Khasho, offers invaluable insight on what many children, young adults and families have been facing — and invites parents to take an active approach to their children’s mental health. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: How CHC Is Leading an Emotional Recovery for Silicon Valley Families
CHC has been a hub for resources for youth mental health, learning differences, ADHD, anxiety, depression and autism. The year 2023 will mark 70 years since Peninsula-based pediatrician Dr. Esther B. Clark founded Children’s Health Council as “a place where kids come first,” with its clinical services, community clinic and the Sand Hill School and Esther B. Clark Schools. Numerous points of connection, including a podcast, blog, workshops, resource library and now, telehealth access, have expanded greatly over the last year to meet increased demand. Read more ›
Children’s Health Council Awarded $2.5 Million to Provide COVID-19 Mental Health Crisis Recovery by Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall Initiative
PALO ALTO, Calif. February 11, 2021– Twitter and Square Co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey has awarded Children’s Health Council (CHC) $2.5 million to support the Bay Area agency’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Initiative to build capacity to respond to the mental health needs of children, teens, young adults and families that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Read more ›
CHC in the News: Are the Kids Alright? Teens Speak Out About the Emotional Toll of a Year in Isolation
Nine months into the global pandemic, Riley Capuano told a grid of faces on a Zoom screen why she and her peers needed schools to reopen.
“I’ve never seen this many students struggling with mental health,” the Los Altos High School junior said during a virtual school board meeting on Dec. 14. “Being cooped up in your home all day is really, really tough. Read more ›
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Mental Health month creates awareness about the unique experiences and struggles individuals who identify as BIPOC encounter with respect to mental health. Read more ›
May Is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate the community about mental and behavioral health issues, promote access to care and treatment, and reduce the stigma associated with mental health challenges. Read more ›
Reddit Teams Up With Crisis Text Line to Support Users Who May Be Suicidal or at Risk of Self-Harm
On Wednesday, March 4, Reddit announce that is has joined forces with Crisis Text Line, a text message based crisis support hotline, to provide counseling to users who might be at risk of self harm. Anyone on Reddit can now flag a fellow user who they think might be struggling with self-harm or suicide based on something they post on the site. Read more ›
Michael Phelps Named PRWeek’s 2020 Communicator of the Year
Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps is being honored as PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year in recognition of his work to reduce stigma around depression and mental health issues. Read more ›
Bay Area Doctors Target Health Consequences of Childhood Trauma
A screening tool developed by Bay Area pediatricians to identify adverse childhood experiences, ranging from homelessness and food insecurity to physical and sexual abuse, will now help doctors statewide address trauma affecting patients’ health. Read more ›
California Pushes Back School Start Times for Middle and High School Students
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Sunday that pushes school start times later. Under the new law, middle schools will start classes at 8 a.m. or after, while high schools will start classes at 8:30 a.m. or after. Optional early classes will still be allowed.
The law applies to public and charter schools, though rural school districts are exempt. The new start times go into effect by July 1, 2022, or when a school’s collective bargaining agreement with its employees expires, whichever is later. Read more ›
U.S. Department of Education Announces New Grant Awards to Address School Safety and Improve Access to Mental Health Services
The U.S. Department of Education announced $71.6 million in new funding to enhance safety in schools and improve student access to mental health resources. The Depart of Education made the awards under four grant programs, which support recommendations identified in the final report issued by the Federal Commission on School Safety. Read more ›
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week takes place from October 6 – 12, 2019. Every year during Mental Illness Awareness Week, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) works to educate the public, eliminate stigma and advocate for better access to mental health care. Read more ›
The State of Mental Health in America 2020
Mental Health America (MHA) released new state rankings in its most recent report, 2020 State of Mental Health in America. Read more ›
South Bay Spiritual Leaders Say Hate, Not Mental Illness, Is What Perpetuates Gun Violence
More than 80 clergy of diverse faiths unify to issue a proclamation to stand against hatred and to stand beside those with mental illness. Read more ›
Hate and Guns Are a Public Health Crisis Says American Psychological Association President
After the most recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, American Psychological Association President Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD, issued a statement in which she asserted that guns, racism, bigotry and hatred are fueling a “public health crisis” in the United States.
Read more ›
California Law Puts a Suicide Hotline Number on School ID Cards
California high school and middle school students will have some lifesaving information at their fingertips as they go back to school this year. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: ‘Mental Health Doesn’t Go Away Over the Summer:’ Local Organizations See Spike in Demand for Services
Sarah Pistorino saw a therapist through the end of her freshman year at Sacred Heart Preparatory School. Then summer came — and with it, the end of her academic stress and fatigue — so she pressed the pause button on her therapy. But when school started up again in the fall, she felt a decline in her mental health. She now continues therapy through the summer months. Read more ›
California Pediatricians to Begin Screening Children for Traumatic Experiences in 2020
Has your child ever lived with a parent or caregiver who had mental health issues, such as depression? Witnessed a parent or caregiver being screamed at, insulted or humiliated by another adult? Been separated from their parent or caregiver due to foster care or immigration?
Those are some of the questions on a survey that California pediatricians will use to screen millions of children for traumatic experiences beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: The Complicated Relationship Between Screen Time and Depression
Some experts think that the rise in mental health problems in youth can be tied to an event in 2007: The introduction of the iPhone. Psychologist and author Jean M. Twenge wants us to believe that the “iGen”, the generation shaped by smartphones and social media use, born between 1995 and 2012 is “on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades.” Read more ›
CHC in the Press: In the Community—Welcoming a New Mental Health Services Space to East Palo Alto
Children’s Health Council (CHC) mental health services coordinator Divier Wallace understands the importance of supporting his community.
“As someone who grew up in East Palo Alto during the 1990s when times were very tough, I am so pleased to be able to come back and work with my community to provide services for families in need, in their language of choice,” said Wallace, speaking at the recent grand opening of the new East Palo Alto office and clinical space of the Ravenswood Initiative, a CHC project. Read more ›
May is Mental Health Month
Did you know that 1 in 5 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 have or will have a serious mental illness? Or that 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24?
May is Mental Health Month was started 70 years ago by Mental Health America, to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone. Read more ›
More U.S. Youth Seeking Help During Psychiatric Emergencies
The number of young people visiting U.S. emergency rooms with psychiatric problems is rising, driven largely by a surge in teens and minority youth seeking urgent help for mental illnesses, a new study suggests. Read more ›
One in Six U.S. Kids Have Mental Health Disorders, but Only Half Receive Treatment
Roughly in six U.S. kids have at least one mental health disorder, and only about half of them receive treatment from a mental health professional, a new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics suggests. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: Children’s Health Council Expands to East Palo Alto
Youth mental health nonprofit Children’s Health Council has opened a new location in East Palo Alto with the ambitious goal of serving five times as many children as the organization currently does in that community.
Children’s Health Council, which has been providing mental health services at no cost to children and families for five years in East Palo Alto, parts of Menlo Park and Redwood City, can now do so out of a physical home at 1848 Bay Road. Read more ›
Should Childhood Trauma Be Treated As A Public Health Crisis?
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows how the effects of childhood trauma persist and are linked to mental illness and addiction in adulthood. And, researchers say, it suggests that it might be more effective to approach trauma as a public health crisis than to limit treatment to individuals. Read more ›
Generation Z Reported the Most Mental Health Problems
Many members of Generation Z — young people between 15 and 21 — have taken more active roles in political activism this year, and a new survey indicates that the state of the nation is to blame for this generation’s stress levels. Read more ›
Elementary Students with Depression Are More at Risk for Skill Deficits
Early elementary students with symptoms of depression are much more likely to be at risk for academic deficits, according to new research. Read more ›
CHC and Stanford Children’s Health Launch Expanded Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for High School Teens Facing Severe Mental Health Challenges
Just over a year ago, CHC opened its doors to a new Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for teens in Palo Alto. Now, in collaboration with Stanford Children’s Health, the program is expanding to serve more adolescents struggling with self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, severe anxiety and depression.
Minorities Much Less Likely to Access Mental Health Care, State Data Suggests
White people enrolled in Medi-Cal access mental health treatment at about twice the rate of other ethnic groups, even though they make up fewer than a quarter of plan enrollees, new state data suggests. Read more ›
‘Gaming Disorder’ Has Been Classified As a Mental Health Condition by the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization has added “gaming disorder” to the list of mental health conditions.
The addition will appear in the new version the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the WHO’s standardized list of diseases and other medical conditions used by countries around the world. Read more ›
Sex and Drugs Decline Among Teens, but Depression and Suicidal Thoughts Grow
One in seven high school students reported misusing prescription opioids, one of several disturbing results in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationwide survey of teenagers that revealed a growing sense of fear and despair among youth in the United States.
The numbers of teenagers reporting “feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” suicidal thoughts, and days absent from school out of fear of violence or bullying have all risen since 2007. The increases were particularly pointed among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students. Read more ›
CHC in the Press: ‘Breaking the Silence’ on Youth Mental Health
“There is so much I wish someone had told you.”
This quote, from an anonymous teenager directed to her future self, is from a new book a group of local teenagers wrote to address their sense that there is a lack of guidance to help young people cope with mental health issues. An unfiltered view of the experiences of local teens, the book aims to help any reader, young or old, better understand mental illness. Read more ›
CDC: U.S. Suicide Rates Have Climbed Dramatically
Suicide rates have increased in nearly every state over the past two decades, and half of the states have seen suicide rates go up more than 30 percent. Suicide is a major public health issue, accounting for nearly 45,000 deaths in 2016 alone. That is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta decided to take a comprehensive look at suicides from 1999 to 2016. Read more ›
Kaiser Permanente and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry Team Up to Promote Importance of Mental Resilience
Kaiser Permanente and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors have teamed up for a televised message about how mental resilience helps the NBA All-Star grow as a person and as a top-level athlete — and how it can help anyone overcome day-to-day hardships and excel. Read more ›
What Would I Tell My Younger Self?
Every day in May, throughout National Mental Health Awareness Month, the Child Mind Institute will share stories from prominent individuals speaking to their younger selves about growing up with a mental health or learning disorder. Read more ›
Noted Child Psychiatrist Harold Koplewicz, MD, Speaks Out on the Parkland Shooting
Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology and President of the Child Mind Institute has spoken out on the Parkland shooting and the urgent need to make mental health a priority for research and action. Read more ›
How Making Art Helps Teens Better Understand Their Mental Health
Tori Wardrip, an art teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Billings, Montana, wanted to explore the benefits of art more deeply while addressing some of the mental health issues she saw students experiencing. Read more ›
Poll: Parents Not Confident Schools Can Assist Child with Chronic Disease, Mental Health Issues
Just 38 percent of parents are very confident in schools’ ability to assist a student suspected of having a mental health problem, according to a new report from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan.
Most parents (77 percent) are sure schools would be able to provide first aid for minor issues, such as bleeding from a cut. But parents are less confident about a school’s ability to respond to more complex health situations, such as an asthma attack or mental health problem. Read more ›
Contra Costa’s At-Risk Youth Suffer From Shortage of Psychiatrists
Since July 1, 2016, Contra Costa County lost five psychiatrists who serve the county’s at-risk youth — minors in foster care and juvenile hall and victims of child sexual exploitation and domestic violence — and they have yet to replace them.
At a Family and Human Services Committee hearing on Monday, county officials responded to a civil grand jury report claiming that there is on average a 1-to-310 ratio of psychiatrists to cases of children with moderate to severe mental health issues. Sometimes it’s even worse. Read more ›
Taking a Mental Health Day: Changing Attitudes in the Workplace
An American Psychological Association survey in 2016 found less than half of working Americans say the climate in their workplace support employee well-being.
Madalyn Parker, 26, sent an email to her team at work saying she’d be out of office for a few days to focus on her mental health. The response she received from her company’s CEO has sparked a larger discussion about what is a rarely-talked topic in the workplace. Read more ›
UCSB Researchers Study the Effectiveness of an Innovative Program Designed to Help Youth Learn About Mental Health
Mental Health Matters, a program of the Mental Wellness Center, is in place in 35 classrooms in schools in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Buellton, helping 11- and 12-year-old children learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of six major mental illnesses: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and stress disorders, major depression, bipolar disorders, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Mental Health Matters is an innovative curricular unit designed for students approaching or in adolescence whereby they are taught basic facts about mental wellness. Two formats are available: one for sixth graders and one for ninth graders. Students learn to recognize symptoms of mental health disorders and that treatment is available. A secondary objective is to directly address the stigma too often associated with mental illness. The goal is to increase the students’ understanding of mental illness, reduce the associated stigma and share wellness practices.
But, does program actually work? Read more ›
Gunn Grad Leads Local Crisis Text Line Effort
Libby Craig, a Palo Alto native and Gunn High School graduate, spent four hours every Sunday night for several months this year as a volunteer crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line, a free, confidential, 24/7 support service accessible nationwide by simply texting the number 741741. Recently, she joined the nonprofit organization full time and is leading Crisis Text Line’s efforts to grow the service in the Bay Area, in part in response to the youth suicide clusters in her own hometown. Read more ›
Kids in Crisis: One-Third of California 11th-Graders Surveyed Say They Are Chronically Sad
In a potential crisis crossing demographic lines, one-third of California’s 11th-graders and one-quarter of seventh-graders reported feeling chronically sad or hopeless over the past 12 months, a survey released on July 18 showed.
The California Healthy Kids Survey also found that about 19 percent of both ninth-graders and 11th-graders seriously considered attempting suicide.
Among the questions, students were asked if they felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more that it stopped them from doing usual activities — symptoms of depression. Their answers, compared with the previous survey two years ago, represented a 1 percentage-point increase for ninth-graders, and less than a percentage point increase for seventh and 11th-graders.
Facebook Rolls Out Suicide-Prevention Tools Globally
Facebook is rolling out worldwide tools aimed at preventing suicide, expanding its reach beyond the United States. Working with mental health groups such as Forefront, Lifeline and SAVE.org, Facebook started working on suicide prevention about a decade ago after a string of teen suicides in Palo Alto.
Since then, as Facebook has grown to 1.6 billion users worldwide, social media is playing a larger role in how people — especially teens — share their thoughts and lives with others. Read more ›
Young Minds Matter
Katherine Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched “Young Minds Matter,” a new series designed to lead the conversation with children about mental and emotional health.
The Duchess of Cambridge serves as a guest editor for The Huffington Post – United Kingdom to discuss problems, causes and most importantly solutions to the stigma surrounding the UK’s mental health crisis among children. Read more ›
U.S. Panel Reaffirms Depression Screening for Adolescents
Adolescents between 12 and 18 years old in the U.S. should be screened for depression, according to guidelines reaffirmed by a government-backed panel of prevention experts.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says about 8 percent of U.S. adolescents experience major depression each year. Less is known about how common the condition is among younger children, however. Read more ›
Disturbing Suicide Cluster Prompts CDC to Start Investigation in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, members of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s epidemiological assistance team are scheduled to begin an investigation this week on the “suicide contagion” risk in a similar way they may investigate a viral or bacterial outbreak that spreads through a community. As federal officials arrive in Palo Alto, they will face a community that is trying to find innovative ways to combat suicide when it becomes a “contagion.” Read more ›
Parents Start Local Mental-Health Support Group
A group of parents who saw a need for a locally based, ongoing group to support other parents concerned about the mental health and well-being of their teens will be launching such a group this month.
The mental-health subcommittee of parent-advocacy group SELPA 1 CAC will host its first “Parent Chat” on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Los Altos Library. The group is supposed to be peer-driven, though a licensed marriage and family therapist will attend as a facilitator, and is open to parents of any children ages 14 and up. Read more ›
