Each year National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and show that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development.
2021 What’s Great in Our State
The last year has been one of extraordinary challenges. It is even more important to recognize the individuals, programs, and organizations who have worked to meet those challenges and who are creative, passionate and dedicated in supporting the mental health of children, youth and families. We will come together to celebrate and honor the exemplary work that is being done across NYS in a virtual event on May 4, 2021. Stay tuned for details about the event through social media via: www.facebook.com/WhatsGreatinNYS/
History
Each year since 2010, an interagency state-level committee made up of representatives from New York State child-serving agencies, mental health advocacy organizations and family/youth run organizations has planned an annual celebration. The committee has organized a recognition event in conjunction with the national Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. The event is an opportunity to highlight positive work in New York State to promote the mental health of children, youth and young adults.
Keynote: Happiness is running through the streets to find you even during a pandemic
Presented by: Holly Elissa Bruno, MA, JD, best selling, award winning author, international keynote served as Maine’s Assistant Attorney General and Academic Dean at University of Maine-Augusta where she was named Outstanding Professor. Her 6th book Happiness is running through the streets to find you: Translating trauma’s harsh legacy into healing (2020) sold out immediately.
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FLIP THE SCRIPT LIVE
Tuesday, May 4th, 02:00 PM
On May 4th, Tuesday of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, at 2:00 p.m. ET, the National Federation of Families will host a live “fireside chat” style event during which a small group of leaders from national organizations focused on children’s and youth mental health will share their thoughts on this year’s theme “Flip the Script on Mental Health” and how it applies to their work. You can learn more about the theme here. Visit this page again for updates about the event – coming soon!
CHAW Activities for Children, Youth and Families
For a variety of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week activities, worksheets and videos for children and youth, click here. Links to additional online resources are included at the bottom of the page. The National Federation of Families also encourages you to print our 2021 calendar filled with activities to help you and your family celebrate awareness all month long and to visit their Pinterest boards and follow them on Facebook #EveryDayInMay for additional ideas you can use and share to help raise awareness.
Throughout the month of May, The Family Resource Network Teen Scene will host events that are related to our theme of mental health and coping skills. Registered youth can attend the weekly Teen Scene events to participate in discussion and activities that can count towards their participation in the Coping Skills Challenge for that day. However, anyone can participate in the May Teen Scene events even if they are not registered for the Coping Skills challenge. here will be four events throughout the month, which are open to all school aged youth in Chenango, Otsego, and Delaware counties.
Creatively Coping with Stress: Star Wars Directed Artwork with Teen Scene
Tuesday, May 4th, 2021 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Get artsy with FRN as our special guests, Jeffrey and Eli, lead the group in creating selected art piece. As the event is being held virtually, the art will be demonstrated with a variety of mediums. Some ideas are acrylic paint, watercolor, crayons, colored pencils, colorful pens, markers or mixed media. Come prepared with your selected supplies!
Throughout the month of May, Teen Scene will host events that are related to our theme of mental health and coping skills. Registered youth can attend the weekly Teen Scene events to participate in discussion and activities that can count towards their participation in the Coping Skills Challenge for that day. However, anyone can participate in the May Teen Scene events even if they are not registered for the Coping Skills challenge.
Registration Now Open!
2021 Annual Training Forum
The NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health, in cooperation with the New York State Office of Mental Health, are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2021 Staff Development Training Forum.
Again this year, the NYS Office of Mental Health and the NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health are collaborating on the largest children’s mental health staff development training forum in New York State.
Registration for the Training Forum is complimentary for children’s behavioral health providers and stakeholders. The Program Agenda will be sent later this week!
10th Annual Myra Alfred’s Roundtable
Thursday, May 6th at 9:15 AM
We are excited to have as our featured speaker, Kristina Ramos-Callan, Co-author, of the highly acclaimed The Ripple Effect: The Impact of COVID-19 on Children of New York State.
Overview: The magnitude of COVID-19’s impact is like nothing we’ve seen before. An analysis of the pandemic’s effect on households with children under age 18 in New York State has estimated severe, long-lasting, and racially disparate repercussions on children who lost a parent or guardian or who entered poverty or are near poverty as a result of the pandemic. The analysis, conducted by United Hospital Fund and Boston Consulting Group, estimates that between March and July 2020, 4,200 children experienced a parental death; and 325,000 children have been pushed into or near poverty as a result of the pandemic’s economic downturn. This report contains the findings from Part 1, which highlights the impacts of parental death on New York’s children. Part 2, included in a separate document, addresses COVID-19’s poverty-related effects and broader economic implications. Losing a parent or caregiver during childhood is a particularly acute adversity, one that raises a child’s risk of experiencing a range of poor outcomes over their lifetime, including poorer mental and physical health. These children and their families will require ongoing support and investment to ensure that the next generation won’t remain victims of this current COVID-19 pandemic. Given the magnitude of the challenge for state and local authorities, federal support will be crucial. We hope this analysis will provide policymakers and community leaders with data to support the development of these necessary strategies and policies.
Keynote presentation will be followed by Westchester’s local response including members from the Children’s System of Care Community Networks.