Wellesley Institute’s Post

☀NEW RESEARCH☀ Families with young children often carry the weight of adversity, which can be invisible to outsiders but profoundly affect their well-being. Read more 📑 https://bit.ly/3N1FVY6 With nearly half of children in Australian facing serious adversities - like maltreatment, family dysfunction, bullying and financial stress - addressing these issues now is vital to reduce the risk of long-term #MentalHealth problems for both children and the adults they’ll become. We found 88% of families coming through a #CommunityHealthService’s front door have one or more adversities. However, less than half are asked about them by practitioners and of those asked, only 30% received direct support. Lack of consensus on how to detect and address adversities in Australian families has led to fragmented responses with limited resources in each sector. To address this, we convened a group of those experiencing adversity alongside professionals from health, education, justice, and social services. The group’s collective wisdom highlighted two priorities: 1️⃣ Supporting #ChildAndFamilyHubs 🌈 that offer integrated access to health, education, justice, and social care services, helping families address issues before they become entrenched. #Hubs also foster social connections among parents. 2️⃣ Rolling out sustained nurse home visiting for families and children (antenatal to 2 years) experiencing adversity. With thousands of Australian babies born into #adversity each year, swift and strategic action is essential. Learn more in the latest paper, Identifying Service, Research and Policy priorities for preventing the impacts of family adversity on children’s mental health: An Australian national resource allocation study with professional and lived experience experts 📑 https://bit.ly/3N1FVY6

We are thrilled to see our new peer-reviewed article published today in the 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 demonstrating the impact of social care referral navigation on the mental health and well-being of young families. Here are some key takeaways: ✅ With support from trusted navigators, parents report more hope and confidence in addressing their children’s needs. Through technology-enabled social care coordination powered by Unite Us, parents report relief from the burden of self-navigating community based resources. ✅ Our model of care can improve access to supportive community services for young families with social needs and increase parental protective factors known to improve short and long-term outcomes for families. ✅  This evaluation of First 1,000 Days Suncoast’s Family Navigation program demonstrated statistically significant improvements in parental social support, an additional four healthy mental health days per month, and significant improvements in perceived stress, among parents receiving navigation support. We’re encouraged by these results and look forward to continuing this important research. We want to extend a special thanks to our First 1,000 Days Suncoast partners Chelsea Arnold, DNP, APRN, FNP-bc and Mary O’Connor, as well as acknowledge the contributions of our Unite Us Research and Evaluation team including Amanda Terry, PhD, MPH, MA, Zackery White, PhD MPH , Gillian Feldmeth, and Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo, PhD, MPH. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://bit.ly/3B6hI0g #UniteUs, #SarasotaMemorialHealthCare #First 1,000 Days #socialcare

Sometimes you read things and it really makes you question how we've ended up with systems that seem to be so bent out of shape that they end up offering the least help to the people who need it the most. This report from NCB, Julia Mannes, Robbie Duschinsky and team at the University of Cambridge evidences poorer access to CAMHS for children with social work involvement.  https://lnkd.in/ea56HTYY. (Thanks to Alice Roe for flagging it) It highlights that in the NHS trust the study looked at - Children on child protection plans are around two times as likely to be rejected from CAMHS as their peers  - Children with other general social work involvement are over three times as likely to be rejected - Children from the most deprived areas are around 2 times more likely to be rejected than those from the least deprived areas. - Only once Children are in care were less likely to be rejected from CAMHS (possibly because the NHS Trust had dedicated children in care services). How have we ended up here? What's driving this? How do we make sure that all children get the help they need, rather than leaving some of our kids facing the greatest levels of challenge out in the cold? I think Taliah Drayak, an adult with experience of social work and mental health services as a child, who was a collaborator on the study, hits the nails with pain and power when she says "As a child you can't access what you need without support, and when the adults in your life become barriers to accessing what you need, the message that you write upon your heart is I am not good enough, I do not deserve, and I am the problem. When the support services that are there to help only seem to help others and not you, you develop negative coping strategies that impede your wellbeing and capacity to achieve for life. Instead of first being a barrier, and then teaching children to be our own barriers, children need mental health services to be an inclusive beacon of hope and support."

We have a care system society that talks a lot about blame, outcomes, and standards, but I don't hear too many conversations around #intergenerationaltrauma. 💔 As someone who has personally experienced the impact of the care system, it is crucial to recognise that the challenges faced by children in care often stem from the unresolved traumas of previous generations. My own biological parents endured significant hardships—my mother was brought up in care and was abused, and my father subjected her to domestic violence. These experiences inevitably shaped my journey into care. 🌿 Intergenerational trauma refers to the way traumatic events affect not just those who directly experience them but also their children and grandchildren. Talking about intergenerational trauma is important for growth and understanding. 🌱 This understanding is vital for improving our care systems. It encourages a compassionate approach that acknowledges the deep-rooted issues affecting families. 💖 Consider this: there are approximately 107,000 children in care across the UK. 📊 Studies indicate that a significant percentage of these children's biological parents have faced their own hardships, with many experiencing trauma or even being in care themselves. This underscores the importance of addressing intergenerational trauma within the care system. 🔄 Here are top 5 solutions for practitioners in the care system: Trauma-Informed Care Training: Equip all staff with the knowledge to understand and address trauma. 🧠 Mental Fitness Support: Provide accessible counselling and therapy for both children and their parents. 🏥 Family Reunification Programmes: Focus on healing family relationships when safe and possible. 🤝 Community-Based Support: Create support networks within communities for ongoing assistance. 🌍 Long-Term Follow-Up: Ensure sustained support for children aging out of the system. 📈 By addressing intergenerational trauma, we can better support children in care, helping them break free from cycles of pain and build healthier futures. Let's start having these important conversations and work towards a more empathetic and effective care system. 🌟 #IntergenerationalTrauma #CareSystem #ChildWelfare #MentalHealth #Empathy #TraumaInformedCare #ChildProtection #SupportServices #FamilyHealing #SocialWork #FosterCare #Adoption #YouthSupport #CommunityCare #TherapeuticSupport #BreakingTheCycle #Resilience #GenerationalHealing #TraumaRecovery #Wellbeing #MentalHealthAwareness #dripbydripdaybyday #wefindaway

I'm excited to share our latest publication highlighting the impact of the First 1,000 Days Suncoast family navigation program on young parents and families in Southwest Florida. This evaluation highlights the critical role navigators have in building rapport and acting as a trusted source upon whom families can rely when addressing complex needs. Paired with the benefit of technology-enabled care coordination to support seamless connections to community resources, this work demonstrates the value of community-based care, accomplished through one system of record. Congratulations to my co-authors Chelsea Arnold, DNP, APRN, FNP-bc, Zackery White, PhD MPH, Mary O'Connor, and Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo, PhD, MPH 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://bit.ly/3B6hI0g #SDOH #SocialCare #CareCoordination #Navigation

The impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (#ACEs) is staggering, costing our nation $14.1 trillion annually in related health conditions. But let's not forget about the disparities faced by children of color, who bear a heavier burden due to systemic racism. It's time to address these inequities and work towards better health outcomes for all children. April is #MinorityHealthMonth. Read this recent blog post by Karen Johnson for strategies to better integrate trauma-informed and antiracist work. #HealthEquity #EndRacism https://ow.ly/26I650R9nlv

Join us this Thursday on WCCO | CBS News Minnesota at 4:00 pm! The topic: A Holistic Mental Health Approach to Older Adults and Caregivers of Older Adults Living with a Mental Illness. With Kay King, NAMI Minnesota Older Adults Coordinator, Faith Liaison, and Adult Educator. Mental illness is not a normal part of aging. For example, experiencing response to loss and temporary "blue" moods are normal, but persistent depression that significantly interferes with the skills of daily living and relationships is not. However, ageism, understood as hostile or patronizing attitudes, stereotypes, beliefs resulting in prejudicial treatment of older adults, makes the symptoms of depression and anxiety worse and negatively affects overall mental health. In a national survey, 82% of older adults reported experiencing some form of ageism in their everyday lives. Still, while ageism is common, it is a form of prejudice less likely to be recognized. Grassroots organizations and local mental health centers are a powerful counter to the discrimination against older adults. Over 80% of older adults diagnosed with depression can be effectively treated. Medications, talk therapy, education, and support can help you feel better as much as a healthy diet, less stress, exercise, affirming relationships, activities you enjoy, and a spiritual connection can also help. NAMI Minnesota is helping to spread this message and, in partnership with Faith Communities throughout Minnesota, is providing education, support, and advocacy for older adults living with a mental illness, their families, and people in pastoral care. NAMI Minnesota offers support to Faith Communities that want to do more to help older adults living with a mental illness. Also, NAMI Minnesota provides classes for older adults and caregivers of older adults living with a mental illness. To check our currently scheduled classes and programs for seniors, visit namimn.org or call 651-645-2948—donations from individuals and companies to keep these classes and programs accessible for everyone are also appreciated. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gG6CKXsP #MentalHealthAwareness #OlderAdults #Caregivers #Ageism #DepressionSupport #MentalHealthEducation #HolisticHealth #NAMIMinnesota #FaithCommunities #SupportForSeniors

Anecdotally we hear it’s really hard to parent these days, and you may have seen in recent news content that the Surgeon General has issued an Advisory - Parents Under Pressure - to call attention to this urgent public health issue. While about ¼ of adults say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming, that number jumps to nearly ½ for parents. When we look at parents of children with special health care needs, they deal with additional stress related to coordinating the maze of supportive services for their children among other factors. The Advisory ends with a list of actions for parents and non-parents alike. It’s encouraging to see increased attention on this issue, framed as a societal one and not for parents alone. https://lnkd.in/dfSWffxY #MentalHealthMatters #CaregiverSupport

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY! Perigee Fund is thrilled to announce our first national RFP — Building Together: Equitable Systems for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Mental Health — inspired by the urgent need of caregivers, infants, and toddlers across the United States to access #mentalhealth supports. >>Building Together will make $2 million in new funding available so that more places have more momentum to integrate maternal, infant, and early childhood mental health into family-serving systems. The grants will fund compelling state, territory, regional, or tribal partnerships that share Perigee’s goal of making mental health and relationship-based supports more accessible for diverse prenatal-to-age-3 families through systems change. It is designed to build on the progress already underway across the U.S. and U.S. Territories. Please help us amplify this opportunity by sharing with your networks! Key Dates: 6/27 Virtual information Session (optional) 7/26 Expressions of Interest due #maternalmentalhealth #infantmentalhealth #earlyrelationships #iecmh #buildingtogether #earlychildhood #earlyrelationalhealth #mentalhealth #maternalhealth #systemschange https://lnkd.in/dw9YX7U2

The Surgeon General for the US, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued an interesting Advisory this year calling for urgent assistance to better support parents, caregivers and families. In issuing the Advisory, Dr. Murthy considered research which found that parents of children report high levels of stress at rates almost 1.5 times that of other adults. Even more staggering, research has also shown that 41% of parents report that, on most days, they feel so stressed they "cannot function". In short, the Advisory found that parents, as a group, report and experience mental and physical health challenges at such a high level that it has become a crisis. The Advisory suggests actions that can be taken by parents to address these concerns, as well as steps that we as a society can take to assist in alleviating the burden being experienced by parents. Link below. Happy reading. #parenting #surgeongeneral #familylaw https://lnkd.in/g3KKXMdv