Research shows that SEL and mental health well-being is the foundation of academic success and is even more critical during times of crisis. When families and caregivers know more about these topics, they are better able to support their children's learning and to collaborate with educators to improve their child’s readiness to learn.
Featured Resource: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Family Support Group These free, 90-minute virtual and/or in-person meetings are for family and friends of individuals who live with a mental health condition. In a supportive and empathetic environment, members of the group listen and share their lived experiences, learned wisdom, and coping strategies with the goal of empowering, educating, and reducing stigma. All meetings are facilitated by trained NAMI family members.
Featured Resource: Stress and the Healing Power of Connection
When children reach out to others when things get tough it is called the affiliate response, which relies on our strengths, our brains, and each other. This Stress and the Healing Power of Connection animated video from the AAP narrated by Heather Forkey, MD, FAAP, explains how pediatricians can support families to engage in the affiliate response to help kids feel less stressed, build resilience and recover from trauma. Learn more at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ webpage.
Family Guide to Supporting Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being: Information, Tips, and Resources The guide helps parents, other adult family members, and caregivers support the overall well-being and mental health of school-aged children. It offers information about the social and emotional development of young people and explains warning signs that may signal mental health challenges. It equips caregivers with targeted strategies, tools, and resources that help them advocate for their family, address each child’s specific needs, and access professional help.
Sesame Workshop Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Resources - Children who are healthy in mind, body, and heart can thrive in every way. Mental health IS health! Find resources, activities, and videos to help children form the bonds and social connections that nurture their well-being.
Support for BIPOC Parents Addiction and mental health issues are significant challenges faced by black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) parents and their children in America today. These challenges stem from a combination of systemic racism and discrimination, as well as a lack of access to culturally appropriate and effective addiction and mental health services. This guide was put together by the experts at Louisville Addiction Center and offers an extensive resource list curated for black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) parents.