Last week, Mitch Prinstein, the chief science officer at the American Psychological Association (APA), testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the role that social media plays in children’s mental health. His 22-page testimony is incredibly informative, and National Public Radio (NPR) has ten key points that families should know. Read the full article for … Continue reading Social Media and Teen Brains
An SEL Primer for PTAs
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has been in the news a lot the past year, often criticized alongside Critical Race Theory (CRT). And like CRT, SEL is often misrepresented by those critics in terms of what it actually is. Should SEL become an issue in your school district’s school board elections in the spring, here is … Continue reading An SEL Primer for PTAs
Back-to-School Mental Health Toolkit
Today’s guest post is from Mental Health America, highlighting their new Back-to-School toolkit for children’s mental health. The toolkit contains fact sheets and social media items that your PTA can use to educate families and youth on children’s mental health issues. By now, most of us have read or seen stories on the youth mental … Continue reading Back-to-School Mental Health Toolkit
Resources for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Illinois PTA has highlighted Safe2Help Illinois when it was first announced in 2020 and covered the new 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline (an alternative to the 800 number) in our Weekend Update newsletter. As part of its efforts for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the Child Mind Institute is sharing … Continue reading Resources for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Spring 2022 Legislative Successes
This being an election year, the Illinois General Assembly wrapped up their spring session in early April rather than at the end of May. Since the governor is required to take action on bills within 60 days of them being sent for signing, the fate of only a handful of bills remain uncertain. Here are … Continue reading Spring 2022 Legislative Successes
PTA Addresses Food Insecurity and Hunger
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), 37.2 million people in the US lived in food-insecure households in 2018. The pandemic has served to highlight how many families are struggling with food insecurity and hunger. In 2020, National PTA created a four-part webinar series designed to engage PTAs and families on food insecurity and … Continue reading PTA Addresses Food Insecurity and Hunger
May is Mental Health Month
The pandemic has brought many challenges to our lives, and mental health is one such challenge that has become a more common topic of conversation the longer the pandemic has dragged on. This year for Mental Health Month, Mental Health America is going Back to Basics with their 2022 Mental Health Month Toolkit, available in … Continue reading May is Mental Health Month
Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids
The pandemic has put a strain on everyone’s mental health. The Child Mind Institute has partnered with the state of California to create The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project, a free video series available in both English and Spanish aimed at parents, educators, and students to help promote children’s emotional health and to teach … Continue reading Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids
Programs for Healthy Kids
Illinois PTA has long been a fan of Action for Healthy Kids, and recently, they updated their website and resources, including translating many of the resources into Spanish. If your PTA is looking for program ideas, the updated website has plenty for you. The resources are now split into three areas: NourishEd (hunger and nutrition)EnergizEd … Continue reading Programs for Healthy Kids
Creating a Family Self-Care Plan
The pandemic has highlighted the need for all of us to prioritize our health—both physical and mental. Our friends at Action for Healthy Kids have created a resource to help your family create a self-care plan (En español). While self-care is something one does on one’s own, having your family work together to create a … Continue reading Creating a Family Self-Care Plan
Bullying Prevention Resources for Your PTA
The recent suicide of a 10-year-old autistic black student in Utah, along with reports that school officials did not act when alerted to the repeated bullying the child endured, has brought bullying back into the spotlight. If your PTA is interested in hosting a bullying prevention event or looking for materials to share with families, … Continue reading Bullying Prevention Resources for Your PTA
How to Know When Your Kid Needs a Mental Health Day
In September, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1577 into law, providing all Illinois students with the ability to take up to five excused mental health days starting in January. Students taking a mental health day will not be required to provide their school with a doctor’s note and will be able to make up any work … Continue reading How to Know When Your Kid Needs a Mental Health Day
The Pandemic’s Effect on Children’s Mental Health
The Child Mind Institute has released its annual report on children’s mental health, this year focusing on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children’s Mental Health: What We Know So Far, looks at: What is known about the pandemic’s effect on children’s mental healthWhat are the most common mental … Continue reading The Pandemic’s Effect on Children’s Mental Health
Teen Suicide—What Families and PTAs Need to Know
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15- to 19-year-olds. Northwestern School of Medicine has a resource page on teen suicide that will help you educate yourself and talk with your teen about the issue. In addition, a new law in Illinois will require school districts that issue identification cards … Continue reading Teen Suicide—What Families and PTAs Need to Know
Facing Fears, Supporting Students—New Mental Health Toolkit
Today’s guest post comes from Mental Health America, who have just released a new Back-to-School Toolkit to give families, teachers, and school personnel the tools and resources they need to support children’s mental health. This school year brings increased fear and trauma for many students after more than a year away from in-person learning. The toolkit, Facing Fears, Supporting … Continue reading Facing Fears, Supporting Students—New Mental Health Toolkit
Right to Play and Your PTA
In our wrap-up of this spring’s legislative session, Illinois PTA noted the passage of SB654, the Right to Play Every Day bill that guaranteed every kindergarten through fifth grade student 30 minutes of “supervised, unstructured, child-directed play” every school day. Governor Pritzker has now signed the bill into law, and its requirements take effect immediately. If … Continue reading Right to Play and Your PTA
COVID-19 School Guidance FAQs
Illinois has adopted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance regarding COVID-19 and schools for the coming school year. The guidance is aimed at helping school administrators provide in-person learning in a safe manner for students and staff. To support that guidance, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has provided a Frequently Asked … Continue reading COVID-19 School Guidance FAQs
Sending Your Special Needs Child Off to College
Parents of special needs children are sometimes referred to as the attack helicopters of helicopter parents, mainly because they have had to be strong advocates for their child to ensure they receive the support they are entitled to. When those children head off to college, the role for parents changes, but the need does not. … Continue reading Sending Your Special Needs Child Off to College
Safe Summer—Mosquito and Tick Bites
With nicer weather and the easing of the pandemic, families are heading outside again. Two common outdoor pests bring potential diseases with them—mosquitos (West Nile, Dengue, and Zika viruses) and ticks (Lyme disease). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tips on preventing mosquito and tick bites. Preventing Mosquito Bites Using the right insect repellent and other preventive actions … Continue reading Safe Summer—Mosquito and Tick Bites
National PTA Launches Healthy Minds
The pandemic has brought discussions of mental health to the forefront, but many families may be struggling with how to prioritize mental health for themselves and their children. National PTA, in cooperation with GoGuardian, Pear Deck, and the Allstate Foundation, has launched Healthy Minds, an ongoing collection of information and resources for PTAs and families regarding … Continue reading National PTA Launches Healthy Minds
One Voice Illinois 