News Mashup for August 2022
Right Care, Right Time And Place, Right Intensity
This month, the National Academies’ Forum for Children’s Well-Being released the proceedings of their Spring 2022 workshop on youth mental health. The workshop convened a series of expert panels to examine systemic and programmatic responses to the current youth mental health crisis and to discuss prevention and promotion strategies with the aim of circumventing such crises in the future.
One panelist, the president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Warren Ng, emphasized the overarching goal of delivering the right care, at the right place and time, with the right intensity, prompting discussions of:
Incentives and partnerships to recruit and retain the mental and behavioral workforce. Broadening the eligibility criteria for providers to address workforce shortfalls and cultural relevance.
The “childcare desert” plaguing rural, low-income, and immigrant communities.
Providing preventative and short-term behavioral interventions, dyadic treatments, and family therapy without requiring a formal diagnosis.
Beyond the right care, right place and time, right intensity theme, panelist took a deep dive into the mental corrosion caused by systemic racism, socio-economic disadvantage, and cumulative psychological wounding across generations.
Along these latter lines, Willem Kuyken, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford (UK), stressed the need for sustained focus on the underpinnings of poor mental health in an August interview with Nature Outlook. Kuyken emphasized the role of societal issues in creating chronic distress, citing poverty, violence, racism, and discrimination. “We might need a radical rethink of how we think about the promotion of mental health in young people,” Kuyken told reporter, Emily Sohn. The takeaway of Kuyken’s interview, Sohn writes, is that “interventions will probably have to shift focus from schools to the structural societal issues that are straining mental health at a time when kids learn how to form relationships and function in the world.”
Click on the links below to learn more.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. August 2022. Responding to the current youth mental health crisis and preventing the next one: Proceedings of a workshop—in brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://doi.org/10.17226/26669 .
Emily Sohn. August 24, 2022. Tackling the mental-health crisis in young people. Nature. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-02206-9 .
Mary Schuermann Kuhlman. August 8, 2022. Annual report issues calls for action on youth mental-health crisis. Public News Service. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2022-08-08/childrens/annual-report-issues-calls-for-action-on-youth-mental-health-crisis/a80187-1 .
Annie E. Casey Foundation. August 8, 2022. 2022 kids count data book: State trends in child well-being. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://assets.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-2022kidscountdatabook-2022.pdf .
Ringing In The New School Year
As school bells ring across the Nation, policy-makers, administrators, educators, and advocates work to bolster vital mental health and substance use services in schools and communities. A national survey published this month by Daybreak Health indicates that 98% of the 250 school districts polled plan to increase mental health spending in the FY2022-23 school year, with many instituting new peer support and lived-experience leadership programs.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to “increase the number of school counselors, hiring 10,000 more professionals and providing up to $20,000 scholarships for mental health workers that spend two years working in schools.” At the national level, the Biden Administration announced plans to increase access to Medicaid and CHIP school-based mental health services for millions of children.
Click on the links to learn more.
Kelly Davis, Sriya Chilla and Nghia Do. August 2022. Youth and young adult peer support: Expanding community-driven mental health resources. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://mhanational.org/sites/default/files/reports/Youth-and-Young-Adult-Peer-Support.pdf .
Daybreak Health. August 2, 2022. 98% of schools will increase youth mental health spending in the upcoming academic year, according to new survey. CISION PR Newswire. Retrieved August 28, 2022 from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/98-of-schools-will-increase-youth-mental-health-spending-in-the-upcoming-academic-year-according-to-new-survey-301597805.html .
Daybreak Health. August 2, 2022. The state of youth mental health & our schools: How schools are responding to the rising demand for mental health services. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://assets.website-files.com/61ee124ebe4546f5876904f8/62e9084dce9f1f766d6a0f05_The%20State%20of%20Youth%20Mental%20Health%20Report%20DaybreakHealth.pdf .
Office of Governor Newsom. August 18, 2022. Governor Newsom unveils new plan to transform kids’ mental health. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/08/18/governor-newsom-unveils-new-plan-to-transform-kids-mental-health/ .
Office of Governor Newsom. August 2022 Governor Newsom’s master plan for kids’ mental health. [FACT SHEET]. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/kidsmentalhealthmasterplan-8-18-22-1660849261.pdf .
Daniel Macht and Ashley Zavala. August 18, 2022. California Gov. Newsom announces $4.7B plan to address kids’ mental health. Here's what is in the plan. KCRA-Sacramento. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://www.kcra.com/article/watch-california-gov-newsom-announces-dollar47b-plan-to-address-kids-mental-health/40933658 .
Bay City News. August 19, 2022. Newsom announces $4.7 billion mental health plan for state's youth. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/california/gavin-newsom-california-mental-health-plan/2982028/ .
Jacob Aere. August 19, 2022. California invests billions for youth mental health services. KPBS-San Diego. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://www.kpbs.org/news/health/2022/08/19/california-invests-billions-for-youth-mental-health-services .
Jen Christensen. August 19, 2022. More kids to get access to mental and physical health treatment under new Biden plan. WDJT-Milwaukee. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://www.cbs58.com/news/more-kids-to-get-access-to-mental-and-physical-health-treatment-under-new-biden-plan .
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. August 18, 2022. As American families prepare for back-to-school, Biden-Harris administration strengthens access to high-quality, comprehensive health care for children. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/08/18/as-american-families-prepare-for-back-to-school-biden-harris-administration-strengthens-access-high-quality-comprehensive-health-care-for-children.html .
Celeste Krewson. August 28, 2022. HHS announces actions to improve child mental health care. Contemporary Pediatrics. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/hhs-announces-actions-to-improve-child-mental-health-care .
National Alliance on Mental Illness. August 30, 2022. NAMI/Ipsos Poll: Teens struggling with their mental health, but parents and schools can help. CISION PR Newswire. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/namiipsos-poll-teens-struggling-with-their-mental-health-but-parents-and-schools-can-help-301614459.html .
What’s Happening To Our Girls?
In a recent article published by The Washington Post, psychologist Jelena Kecmanovic (Behavior Therapy Institute and Georgetown University) argues that while mental health issues are on the rise across all youth, girls are faring far worse. In her practice, and in those of her colleagues, she finds “it is tween girls from ages about 10 to 14 who have struggled more than in the past.” She attributes the higher levels of anxiety and depression to a “perfect storm” of societal and biological trends that accelerated during the pandemic, most notably the sharp rise in technology use by tweens since 2019. “Girls are more engaged with social media, while boys play more video games,” says Kecmanovic, noting that, unlike video games, social media applications like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok, heighten aspects of perfectionism, self-criticism, and rumination, which often lead to mental health problems.
Kecmanovic’s article coincides with the failure of the 2021-2022 California legislative session to approve AB 2408: Social Media Platform Duty to Children Act, which sought to reduce the adverse impact of social media on kids. California legislators did, however, pass another social media bill this month, AB 2273 The California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which awaits Governor Newsom’s signature.
Click on the links below to learn more.
Jelena Kecmanovic. August 8, 2022. Why tween girls especially are struggling so much. The Washington Post. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/08/08/tween-girls-mental-health/ .
Lilah Burke. August 8, 2022. What role does social media use play in the youth mental health crisis? Researchers are trying to find out. EdSurge. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-08-08-what-role-does-social-media-use-play-in-the-youth-mental-health-crisis-researchers-are-trying-to-find-out .
David Bickman, Elizabeth Hunt, Benoît Bediou and Michael Rich. August 2022. Adolescent media use: attitudes, effects, and online experience. Boston Children’s Hospital Wellness Lab Pulse Survey. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://digitalwellnesslab.org/wp-content/uploads/Pulse-Survey_Adolescent-Attitudes-Effects-and-Experiences.pdf .
Sarah Donaldson. August 11, 2022. California bill targeting social-media giants for harm to children dies in legislature. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 30, 2022 from https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-bill-targeting-social-media-giants-for-harm-to-children-dies-in-legislature-11660257720 .
Lindsey Holden. August 12, 2022. California can no longer sue social media for addicting kids. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 20, 2022 from https://www.governing.com/security/california-can-no-longer-sue-social-media-for-addicting-kids.
Olafimihan Oshin. August 31, 2022. California passes bill requiring social media companies to consider children’s mental health. The Hill. Retrieved August 31, 2022 from https://thehill.com/homenews/3622462-california-passes-bill-requiring-social-media-companies-consider-childrens-mental-health/ .
Jean M Twenge and Gabrielle N Martin. January 2020. Gender differences in associations between digital media use and psychological well-being: Evidence from three large datasets. Journal of Adolescence. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31926450/.
Silvia Mendolia, Agne Suziedelyte and Anna Zhu. March 2022. Have girls been left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic? Gender differences in pandemic effects on children’s mental wellbeing. Economics Letters. Retrieved August 29, 2022 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176522001021 .
More Stories in August: “Last Week Tonight” tackles mental health care and parity The Kennedy Forum — 08.01.2022; Opinion: We need more mental health resources to tackle childhood anxiety California Health Report — 08.01.2022; Kaiser mental health workers signal open-ended strike in Northern California CalMatters — 08.02.2022; Opinion: To solve the youth mental health crisis, stop looking to adults The San Diego Union-Tribune — 08.05.2022; Headed back to school: A look at the ongoing effects of covid-19 on children’s health and well-being Kaiser Family Foundation — 08.05.2022; Opinion: To reduce crime in San Diego, first focus on student mental health Times of San Diego — 08.05.2022; Priorities that keep kids' best interests at the heart of what we do Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention — 08.05.202; Parents, children of foster care utilize new support group LA Progressive — 08.06.2022; Opinion: California must clear the way for more mental health professionals to practice California Health Report — 08.10.2022; Loss of connection fuels more teen mental health problems American Medical Association — 08.11.2022; Social media posts criticize the 988 suicide hotline for calling police. Here’s what you need to know Kaiser Health News — 08.11.2022; How young people are navigating a mental health crisis The Washington Post — 08.17.2022; Hope, relief, and lessons learned: Teachers anticipate a smoother school year EdSource — 08.19.2022; Youth mental health is in crisis. Are schools doing enough? Youth Today — 08.18.2022; Cowgirl boots, anxious nights: transgender youth and families grapple with hostile legislation – and sky-high rates of mental illness Mindsite News —08.17.2022; Blaming mass shootings on “mental illness” is harmful and misguided Mindsite News — 08.17.2022; A teen’s journey into the internet’s darkness and back again The New York Times — 08.22.2022; Opinion: most vulnerable foster youth left behind in state budget Ed Source — 08.18.2022; Keep an eye on your student's mental health this back-to-school season NPR — 08.22.2022; What’s behind the gender gap in the teen mental health crisis? Mindsite News — 08.22.2022; Unequal education: Special education policies differ from state to state WBDJ-Wisconsin — 08.22.2022; Timely mental health care is a key factor in strike by Kaiser Permanente workers Kaiser health News — 08.24.2022; This teen was prescribed 10 psychiatric drugs. She’s not alone New York Times — 08.29.2022; The new (still troubling) look of juvenile justice in California The Crime Report — 08.31.2022.
