Kids These Days: Generation Z
and the Mental Health Crisis
by Adam Powell, President & CEO
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In casual conversation the other day, I uttered the words: “kids these days.” It was an off-the-cuff, if not semi-comical, remark; a refrain you have likely heard or even articulated if you are a) a curmudgeon who also says “get off my lawn” or b) approaching or firmly beyond the age of 35 and in awe of how much childhood has changed. But the cliché itself paints an entire generation with broad strokes, standing in stark contrast to the divisions and nuances we know exist.
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Technology and Your Child's Mental Health
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Technology can help us connect with others, find answers to questions, and improve productivity, but as rates of depression rise in adolescents, many wonder if screens and social media are negatively affecting our children's well-being.
Nicholas J. Westers, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at Children's Health and Asst. Professor at UT Southwestern, says the answer isn't clear-cut. "We want answers and explanations, so it's easy to blame feelings of sadness, hopelessness and anxiety among teens to increased tech use," he says. "But it's rarely just one culprit."
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Ruthie's Rolling Café Comes to Stults Road
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On Tuesday, December 17,
Ruthie's Rolling Café, Fueled by Café Momentum, came to Stults Road Elementary in Lake Highlands to serve free grilled cheese sandwiches to families who experienced damage from the devastating North Dallas Tornado last October. This event was made possible with the assistance of CISDR's Associate Director of Community Engagement,
Jeannea Busby, in collaboration with Stults Road Site Coordinators
Detajha Woodson and
Jahmal Rickman.
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We would like to give a special thanks to
Amber W. Davis with Ruthie's Rolling Café, who worked hard to make this event possible. Thanks to her and everyone else on the Ruthie's team, the Stults Road community was able to enjoy an evening of fun, family, and grilled cheese sandwiches!
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CISDR Honors Two Outstanding Staff
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CISDR's
Employee of the Month initiative recognizes those outstanding employees whose job performance and overall contributions embody our mission. At our staff meeting in December, we announced the most recent winners:
Jose Galindo, CISDR Site Coordinator at the Young Men's Leadership Academy in Dallas ISD, and
Brandie McDonald, our Site Coordinator at Carpenter Middle School in Plano. Congratulations to Jose and Brandie, and thank you both for your commitment to the students we serve!
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Support CISDR with Amazon Smile
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There are many ways to support Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region. In addition to making a donation, volunteering on a campus, and getting trained in Mental Health First Aid, you can use the link below to select CISDR as your
Amazon Smile charity of choice. Amazon will then donate 0.5% of your purchases to us. Every bit helps to support our students!
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In addition to our Youth Mental Health First Aid sessions, CISDR now offers
Adult Mental Health First Aid, as schools and community members have asked for help identifying issues with parents, adult family members, and other adults who may be experiencing issues and in need of assistance. Please click the button below, or go to
cisdallas.org/mhfa to register today for any of the following sessions:
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February 2020
- Friday, February 21: Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Tuesday, February 25: Adult Mental Health First Aid (NEW)
March 2020
- Friday, March 13: Youth Mental Health First Aid
April 2020
- Monday, April 13: Youth Mental Health First Aid
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Stay Connected to Our Community!
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The mission of Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
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