Declaration of National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health January 27, 2022 by Taylor Walsh The furious rise of the Omicrom variant of COVID that has beset the nation since autumn of 2021 accelerated an already high level of concern about the impact of the pandemic on kids’ mental health. As a result, we have seen several important statements, reports and assessments from the nation’s leading healthcare policy, public health and program and professional organizations: From the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy MD An “Advisory on Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by COVID-19 Pandemic” Dr. Murthy’s public and official comments since the end of 2021 have focused directly on mitigating the factors that have compounded kids’ normal stress and can lead to serious mental health issues. From American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association. Click the title banner to see the full document. Prospective NIH Research Program “in School Settings” These actions coincided with an important research program announced in the fall by the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (NCCIH): The specification for “school settings” here is an important distinction for such studies. This is one reason WholeHealthED has brought together researchers who study the impact on children’s health of participation in specific school-based activities such as the school garden, mindfulness, outdoor learning, and teaching kitchen that are not always considered factors in kids’ health issues: in particular as part of a single school’s programs: or viewed as the active ingredients for strengthening student well-being.
Whole Health Principles + Kids’ Creativity: Whole Health 4 You January 25, 2022 by Whole Health Editor In July 2021 we completed the co-development of the 60-video collection of short videos with and for the Whole Health Institute, Whole Health 4 You. These simple stories put kids in front of the camera (well, mostly the camera-phone) to describe how they spend their time to offset some of the stress during the pandemic. Elementary and high school kids demonstrate activities they often turn to rest, work in nature, the kitchen or just take time: in the kitchen, dance, playing music, in art, on the water, in the garden. The videos were created initially to contribute visual expressions of whole health principles during the 2020 year of heavy remote learning, for families with kids at home, and for teachers leading classes from their homes or schools. Each video includes guidelines with which teachers can tie the videos to lesson plans. If you are looking for quick, entertaining (often endearing) expressions of activities in which kids embrace and express some of the principles of whole health, the WholeHealth 4 You collection, might even spur some home-grown (school-grown) variations of your own! Guides for each of the main themes of the films for K-12 like this one for “Rest and Recharge” can be found at the WHI Resources page. Other themes: School Stress Tips Rest and Recharge Skills and Abilities Relationships Surroundings Food and Drink Power of Your Mind Moving Your Body My Purpose
Public Health and Whole Health Learning Webinar January 25, 2022 by Taylor Walsh On Jan. 28, 2022, we were honored to help the American Public Health Association kick off its 150th anniversary year with a webinar describing the whole health learning framework and our work in schools and with important national organizations and the outcomes that a fully realized Whole Health Learning approach offers schools and communities. See the recording of the Zoom video here. We were thrilled to bring to the APHA the deep and comprehensive experiences of the many important domains that have created positive outcomes through school-based wellness activities on schoolyards across the U.S. One of APHA’s objectives for the event is to understand the implications of whole health learning for its goal of ‘building a movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation.‘ Background Material for Webinar From the National Academies Press Financing That Rewards Better Health and Well-Being (of May 2021: PDF) NAM Workshop Proceedings 05-2021 Lakeside Middle School Millville, NJ Principal Spike Cook, EdD: Commentary on the pilot experience, including entering the COVID period (article): Whole Health Learning in the Era of COVID 2019_21stCCLC_Assessment pre- and post- student survey of the pilot spring semester program (PDF) Faculty Testimonial: The Wellness Program offered to the Lakeside AVID students was engaging, informative, and so necessary for our student population. The curriculum was comprehensive and focused on all aspects of wellness. The students participated in hands-on experiences and left with knowledge and skills that they can apply in real life now and in the future.” – Sandra Lokuta, AVID teacher, Lakeside Middle School Recent Policy Statements Jan. 2022 Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health From the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association Dec. 2021 U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by COVID-19 Pandemic