Playbl

Thank you Joseph South and to the whole Playbl team, led with commitment and conviction by Kirby Salerno — working to help young people stay healthy and safe. Our digital health game #PlaySmart, built in partnership with and for teens, addresses opioid misuse and mental health in a highly engaging and evidence-based approach: https://lnkd.in/e_gUk_ek

Is the #cannabis industry marketing to kids? You decide.

This post is on a different topic that I typically write about. And the topic is disturbing. I ran across these alarming statistics about opioid overdoses leading up to and during the first year of the pandemic: https://lnkd.in/gax4xXM2 They are shocking and devastating. I recall reading an article during the pandemic about coroners who were quitting their jobs after decades of service because they just couldn't deal with seeing young otherwise healthy people sometimes several times a day, but certainly several days per week, showing up in their morgues. They actually ran out of space for them. These graphs really paint the picture of what they were and are experiencing. It can feel overwhelming and difficult to know what action to take. I am grateful to be associated with Lynn Fiellin, MD who has been studying how to deter young people from risky behaviors, including those associated with opioid use. I was so inspired with her work to use games designed by young people for young people that have been proven through scientific studies funded by the NIH to diminish negative behaviors that I became a formal advisor to Playbl, the company she founded to spread her interventions. She has been working on these issues for 15 years! Until I met Lynn, I really didn't have a full picture of what we are up against. I do know individuals who have lost loved ones to overdoses, which is absolutely tragic. But I didn't understand how prevalent this is. It just isn't talked about that much in my circles. I know there are many other individuals like Lynn and many other organizations dedicated to addressing this crisis. I hope we can all find ways to help push this work forward. Kirby Salerno Anusha Raja Steve Arnold Stephanie Hull Elizabeth Cho-Fertikh Robert Gehorsam

Youth suicide rates have increased dramatically in recent years. From a recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report (link below): "Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In 2022, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for youth ages 10–14 and the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15–24. Between 2007 and 2021, suicide rates for youth ages 10–24 increased by 62 percent (from 6.8 to 11.0 per 100,000). Additionally, barriers remain to accessing mental health services. For example, in 2022, only 56.8 percent of youth ages 12–17 with a past-year major depressive episode—a risk factor for suicidality among youth, received mental health treatment in the past year." The report highlights evidence-based strategies and programs to support underserved youth in American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African, Latino/Hispanic, and LGBTQ communities. (A note: The Evidence Based Resource Guide Series from SAMHSA is an excellent resource for educators and counselors. Playbl's smokeSCREEN game for vaping prevention developed at Yale University School of Medicine with funding from National Institute of Health and CVS Health Foundation was highlighted in a previous report in this series focused on evidence-based vaping programs for schools.)

Important content on youth #cannabis and #vaping.

The implications of this SCOTUS case could be huge for the persistence and prevalence of #vaping in American schools. Already an epidemic that many middle and high schools are struggling to handle, if the SCOTUS removes regulations limiting flavors that appeal to youth, it could “greatly increase the number of kids vaping their way thorough middle and high school.” Our team at Playbl will be keeping a close eye on this as we work with schools to prevent vaping and other substance use and mental health issues impacting students. https://lnkd.in/e_hkdxzy

So pleased to share that we at Playbl, Inc. have been accepted, with the other top 10 teams, into the Dartmouth Innovation Accelerator for Digital Health (DIADH)!! Looking forward to the next couple of months! Grateful to the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth Barry Schweitzer @Lisa Marsch Angela Presley, PhD Henrik Scheel for all your support. Congratulations to the other teams! And big thanks to our amazing Playbl, Inc. team: Kirby Salerno Anusha Raja Steve Arnold Stephanie Hull Joseph South Robert Gehorsam Elizabeth Cho-Fertikh, PhD! play2PREVENT Lab ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presenting on the work of Playbl, Inc. and its sister org play2PREVENT Lab ! Come say hi if you are at Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Prevention Day and CADCA National Leadership Forum!

Working with our partners at play2PREVENT Lab to help kids live happier and healthier lives through learning through digital health games--