Aligning Resources Across Georgia To Support Resiliency
To Our Resilient Georgia Partners and Stakeholders:
We are excited for you to join us for the next Resilient Georgia General Meeting on Thursday, March 24th from 11 am to 12:30 pm that will focus on Young Adult Mental Health (19–26 year-olds). This meeting will feature partners presenting innovative solutions to bolster young adult mental health across the state on college campuses, at the workplace, and other settings. Please find the Zoom link and Agenda on our General Meeting webpage.

The transition from childhood to adulthood is filled with both obstacles and opportunities to build resilience. Research shows that young adults ages 19-26 faced an increased amount of stressors, pressures, and mental health concerns these past few years. For context, this segment describes how the pandemic exacerbated the mental health crisis that young adults already faced. We are so glad to see young adults stepping up big to advocate for their mental health, and we want to do what we can to help. Tune in for our meeting on the 24th to hear from experts across the state leading the work to empower young adults in their journey towards resilience!
Supporting AAPI Mental Health

In light of the horrific news of soaring levels of hate crimes against Asian individuals, as well as newly investigated labor exploitation of immigrants, we want to do everything we can to promote the wellbeing of our Asian-Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) readers. When looking for relevant news and updates, The Georgia Asian times is the perfect place to get all your information about Asian-related business, events, health, and more. Although a huge part of health is our mental wellbeing, the conversation around mental health in the AAPI community is often overlooked. In accordance with our mission to break mental health stigma, we recognize the unique cultural barriers AAPI individuals face in terms of seeking treatment, making them the racial-ethnic group least likely to address their mental health in a professional setting. The consequences of stigma are huge - many individuals may never feel comfortable enough to seek the care they deserve. However, many organizations across the nation are working to change that.

There’s a wealth of amazing people and professionals working hard to support AAPI mental health in Georgia. Raksha is a Georgia-based nonprofit serving the South Asian Community by addressing domestic/sexual violence and divorce, as well as issues concerning children, senior citizens and new immigrants. Their mission is to promote a stronger and healthier community through free and confidential support services. The Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) provides care for Asians and refugees including counseling, housing, and health services. Finally, if you’re looking to get connected with a therapist who shares your values and background, there’s no better place to search than Asian Mental Health Professionals of Georgia. We want to recognize the importance of a continued effort to address mental health concerns through the lens of cultural awareness and sensitivity as we build a more Resilient Georgia.
We would like to highlight several resources and news updates:


  • The Southside of Valdosta, once home to a vibrant Black community of businesses, churches, and restaurants, has been continually underserved and unsupported. This short documentary, created by our regional partners in Valdosta, hopes to foster unifying conversations about race and disparities that will catalyze change for the residents of Valdosta. 
 

  • Mckinsey surveyed across the country and found that there’s been a huge increase of nurses considering leaving their direct care practice. More than ever, it’s crucial that we listen closely and address the mental health concerns of nurses.
Finally, we would like to share the following opportunities:

  • We are so proud of all our partners do to support the kids in their life and beyond. This month, be sure to check out Strong4Life’s Raising Resilience Toolkit, which helps adults give kids the support they need to build a practice wellness practice.

  • Please join us for a session on the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), a trauma-informed curriculum that supports wellness and emotional regulation strategies. Beginners can sign up for the 1-hour introductory course before moving on to the 3-hour deep dive. Sessions are being held through May.

  • Register to receive exclusive access to Silence The Shame’s Courtside Chat, a conversation with Chlöe Bailey, Trae Young, and founder Shanti Das discussing mental wellness and healthy coping strategies. 

  • Registration is now open for the 2022 Youth Mentoring Research Symposium, which will focus on important new trends in mentoring research and mentoring services. The symposium will take place Wednesday, April 27, 1-4 PM (EST), with a special poster session from 6-7 PM, and Thursday, April 28, 1-4 PM.  

  • Mental and Behavioral Health professionals are invited to register for sessions on resilience and wellbeing offered through the University of New Mexico ECHO program at no cost. There are two options available, Resilience Rounds or this Resilience Workgroup.

  • Register here for the Center of Excellence For Children's Behavioral Health free online event titled "Fostering Growth After Trauma: Supporting Emotional Well-Being of Youth", taking place on April 20th. The session will feature a number of interdisciplinary perspectives on how best to support development.

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more resources, events, and news. As always, we want to thank you for showing up every day to go above and beyond to support behavioral health for youth in Georgia.

Sincerely,

Brenda Fitzgerald, MD
Executive Board Chair
&
Emily Anne Vall, PhD
Executive Director
Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs)
It seems like each month that passes by is filled with greater concern about the repercussions of challenging and traumatic occurrences in our world. Thankfully, this awareness is opening the door for an expanded call for strategies towards resilience. After recent years filled with much more loss than usual, the NYT presents practical ways to move through grief and encounter healing through resilience. This article describes how children all over the world are naturally widening their ability to regulate through learning skills for processing and coping in play. On a larger level, we are grateful to see President Biden and the current administration acknowledge the need for more high-quality services across the country, especially those targeted to youth. To read more about how the White House plans to address this important issue, check out this coverage from NPR. 

One incredible way that children build resilience is through relationships with teachers and peers in supportive school environments. Here, NPR describes how well different states are supporting kid’s mental health through school and mental health care services. The story is based on a new School Mental Health Report Card put out by Hopeful Futures Campaign that details 8 dimensions for addressing wellbeing in schools. Meanwhile, The Boyce L. Ansley school is working hard to make sure currently homeless kids can experience stability, individualized education, and mental health support through their special attention to these issues. We love the ways that the school promotes positive experiences by uplifting and caring for these deserving kids.

Finally, we are excited to present this children’s book written by Dr. Chelsea Morris, a member of our Education and Training Committee and faculty director for Resilient Georgia partner Center of Excellence Early Learning Center, featuring a friendly spider named Suri who gives kids strategies for problem solving dysregulating social situations, such as friends who won’t share their toys. We encourage teachers (and other adults as well) to utilize this resource as a way to introduce and strengthen emotional resilience.
Racial Equity Resources
  • Be sure to check out Healthcare Georgia’s collaborative research initiative with The Center for Black Women’s Wellness and Emory University. This report took stock of programs and policies targeted at improving Black women and children’s wellness, and provides recommendations for future work in this area. 

  • New data shows that Black kids under 13 are dying from suicide at a rate 2x higher than their white peers. Experts suggest that these alarming rates are tied to issues such as bullying, discrimination, and access to care. This segment tells the tragic stories of two families who lost their young Black children to suicide. 
COVID-19 Resources
  • This article gives the latest information about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for kids under 5, including the reasons behind the delay, parent reactions, and what families can do to be ready for the vaccine when it does arrive.