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Adolescent Wellness, Inc. (AWI) 
Newsletter
Dr. Gold takes questions after his Winter Blues keynote
AWI Newsletter
February, 2014 





In This Issue
- Did you know?
- Wellness Toolkit
- AWI Volunteers




Quick Links

 

Last month, a highlight for me was the keynote address by Dr. Joseph Gold, the Medical Director at McLean Hospital (Partners Healthcare).  He spoke of the latest in depression prevention and then took questions from individuals the rest of the Winter Blues event at a 'Q & A kiosk'. Never before have I read audience comments  that a speech should last longer! 

 

This month, I am happy to introduce the AWI project titled, '22 Healthier Kids for Each Case of Depression Prevented'.  The link page contains a 52 second video clip which you can scroll past but I encourage listening to it.  Lower on the page are AWI's:

  • next three priorities 
  • project benefits to you 
  • project partners
  • specific tasks

I hope you will read it, ask questions, make suggestions, and help me make it happen.  Clicking this link brings you to the 22 project.

 

Thank you.

 

Best regards, 

-Bob Anthony, President
 
Did you know...

 

Self-tutorials are now available for every child old enough to read? Your child can improve his or her coping skills by using the social media and apps within the Wellness Center (www.mspp.whyville.net). 
Wellness Toolkit by teens

  

Last year, AWI mentors were recognized for 'Teen Leadership in Suicide Prevention' by the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention. This year, they collaborated with mentors from the Rotary Club of Wellesley to develop a Wellness Toolkit.  
 
 
 
The Wellness Toolkit builds on the activities to enhance wellness that have been published in traditional curriculum format by Boston Children's Hospital and as social media and apps by the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.  
 
The teen mentors helped create two sections, one for middle school youth and another for parents, complete with a tip sheet and an activity for better communication.  The mentors are invited by youth groups or school leaders to introduce the resources and co-facilitate one or more of the activities. If you would like a copy of the Wellness Toolkit, contact the Rotary Club Of Wellesley.
 
The need for improving coping skills is clear. Here are the percentage of 7th graders reporting:
  • 12% - Life very stressful
  • 11% - Depressive symptoms
  •   5% - Self-injury
  • 12% - Seriously considered suicide
  •   2% - Attempted suicide
AWI is also assisting with the customization of a Wellness Toolkit for the unique design of Students Against Destructive Decisions (www.SADD.org).  SADD has nearly 10,000 peer mentor chapters across the USA.
 
What is the end result?
All kids can learn and practice coping skills (e.g., problem solving) that help build mental wellness and how it can be promoted on a daily basis.  Kids become more able to balance the weight of life's worries.  Symptoms of depression can be prevented entirely for 1 child in 22; symptoms still developing in others will be more readily noticed by the child and he or she will know how to seek help.
 
Home for Little Wanderers 
Dr. Reilly taking questions on a resource which every kid can use to build coping skills.

The Home (www.thehome.org) makes a positive impact on over 7,000 lives each year through a network of services including:

  •  behavioral health
  •  therapeutic  residential and special education
  • adoption and foster care

The professional staff has identified where their kids would benefit from use of the virtual Wellness Center within Whyville.  

 

An immediate challenge is how to provide training for several dozen professional staff in multiple locations.   AWI has agreed to create training webcasts for The Home in collaboration with the Massachusetts School  of Professional Psychology.

 

 

Dr. Gold explains how to prevent some cases of depression 

The Pearson study (2011) follows infants through adulthood, confirming the observation that treating depressed mom's before giving birth reduces the incidence of depression in the offspring.  It also confirmed that after birth, certain infants and mothers receiving professional coaching/playtime education also reduced the incidence of depression. During his keynote, Dr. Joseph Gold, the McLean Hospital Medical director, explained how this occurs.

In the audience was someone actually involved in the latter point of the study.  Observing  newborn behavior and intervening with parental coaching (earlier studies) is being provided by Dr. Claudia Gold (no relation to Dr. Joseph Gold) of Newton Wellesley Hospital.  Additional pediatricians are expected to develop these services going forward.
AWI volunteers

 

The people who make it happen; we are very grateful to the current AWI volunteers listed below:
  • Bob Anthony - President
  • Vivian Dole - iGROW
  • Bill Russell - Director
  • Anthony Schweizer - Chair
  • Calvin Place - Director, Winter Blues co-host
  • Chip Douglas - Director
  • John Seeler - PIP documentation
  • Roberta Boylen - Winter Blues co-host
  • Kathy Curley
  • Lisa Siegel - iGROW
  • Melisa Hughes
  • Carrie Sandstrom - SADD mentor representative
  • Rev. Pam Emslie
  • iGROW teen mentors
  • Youth Advisory Board members
Adolescent Wellness, Inc. | 103 Old Colony Road | Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481 |
 
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