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This article on bullyingfrom National Institutes of Health discusses the measure of depression from bullying with adolescents. The traditional forms of bullying include physical violence, verbal abuse, or excluding others socially. With technology constantly advancing, cyber bullying is trending. Youth that are victims of cyber bullying at school are at a greater risk for depression. Being bullied affects academic achievement, development of social skills, and general well-being. It is the parents job to encourage their kids to be honest with them if they are being bullied. Adolescents who were being bullied, doing the bullying, or bully victims reveal more depressed than others. For cyber bullying, victims reported even higher. In the classroom it is important for the teacher to talk about bullying. Student’s need to be aware of the damage bullying can do to someone in the long run. This article reminds teachers that they must also be alertif a student is not doing well in class it could be caused from bullying.

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Depression high among youth victims of school cyber bullying, NIH researchers report

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Finding underscores need to monitor, obtain treatment for recipients of cyber bulling.

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This article on child mental health from vtdigger.org explains that the number of children in Vermont schools receiving mental health services has doubled since 1999, despite the child population decreasing. A major reason is believed to be the opioid epidemic and the influence on children’s loved ones. Also, many of these children were born with opioid dependencies due to addicted mothers. Other issues include living in poverty, divorce, and experiencing a parent with mental health issues. A larger emphasis is being put on mental health screening and treatment by the state. This is important to educators because these issues listed above aren’t only prevalent in Vermont. Divorce, addiction, and poverty are everywhere and we will undoubtedly have students who struggle with these. I believe that PA should put the same emphasis on mental health screening and treatment.

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The number of children accessing mental health services in Vermont has doubled over the past two decades, according to a new report from a group that measures early childhood outcomes in the state.

A report from Building Bright Futures found that in 2018, 3,322 children 9 and under utilized mental health services in Vermont - up from 1,708 in 1999. That comes despite a steady decline in the total number of children in the state over the same period.

Department of Mental Health Commissioner Sarah Squirrell said at a press conference Wednesday that the reasons driving the increase are "complex and interlocking."

One factor that she said that has clearly contributed to the rise is the ongoing opioid addiction epidemic, and the impact it has on the state's children.

Squirrell said five or six years ago, the number of babies born with opioid dependencies hit a peak. Now, she said, those same children are entering elementary school for the first time, and in some cases, getting screened for mental health challenges for the first time.

According to the new report, one in three Vermont children experience at least one "adverse childhood experience" before age 9 - a major indicator of children that might experience negative outcomes later in life.

The most common adverse childhood experiences in Vermont are living in a home that struggles to cover basic needs, experiencing the divorce of a parent, living with someone with a substance use disorder, and living with someone with a major mental health challenge.

Squirrell said in order to combat the mental health challenges that come with those experiences, the state needs to ensure that from a young age, children are being screened and treated for their mental, emotional and behavioral health challenges.

"The bottom line is, the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes," Squirrel said.

The bright side, she said, is that Vermont is good at identifying children in need of support. In 2017, 61% of Vermont children received a developmental screening, which Squirrell said is one of the largest factors in ensuring that the children who need support are able to get it.

"Parents should not be afraid to talk to their providers about the social/emotional development of their children," Squirrell said. "There's no wrong question to understand what the developmental milestones that they should be looking for."

Morgan Crossman, the executive director of Building Bright Futures, said the recommendations are based on information gathered by the organization from regional offices and statewide employees.

Cheryle Wilcox, interagency planning director with the Department of Mental Health, said one key recommendation is building support for parents and caregivers to care for their own wellbeing as well as that of their children.

"One thing that comes to mind is when you're on a plane and someone says if you're a parent, put on your oxygen mask before you put on your child's," she said. "If you're not well and you're not supported, it's hard to do that."

Building Bright Futures also advocated for making the mental health care system easier for caregivers to navigate. The percentage of children getting developmental screenings varied from 78% in Middlebury to only 34% in Newport, according to the report.

One parent shared her experience with raising three children adopted from foster care. Karoline May said she struggled to get daycare workers to recognize and accommodate her oldest son's physical delays.

"When he couldn't sit or reach the water table - which he absolutely loved - they just removed him from the group," she said.

She later enrolled her children in a daycare partnered with Washington County Mental Health Services that helped with their needs and led her to even more treatment. "There are a lot of people in our situation who wouldn't know how to handle it," she said.

The report also highlighted the continued need for affordable childcare and for more childcare workers. Vermont expanded family eligibility for childcare subsidies in 2019, making it easier for parents just above the poverty level to receive subsidies for childcare.

Rep. Ann Pugh, D-South Burlington, said she was proud of the new subsidies.

"Those conditions allow parents to work or go to school, and it allows employers to have employees who are focused on the job and not worry about, 'where are my children?'" Pugh said. "I am here to share with you the commitment the Legislature has for building bright futures for our children."

Pugh, who is a social worker, UVM professor and long-time chair of House Human Services, said she has learned that "change happens when you pay attention to it, and you have the data."

"One of the incredible values of Building Bright Futures is that it presents to us data that will move us forward and direct the changes that we have to make," she said.

Don't miss a thing. Sign up here to get VTDigger's weekly email on Vermont hospitals, health care trends, insurance and state health care policy.

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Child use of mental health services doubles in two decades, report finds - VTDigger

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The number of children accessing mental health services in Vermont has doubled over the past two decades, according to a new report from a group that measures early childhood outcomes in the state. A report from Building Bright Futures found that in 2018, 3,322 children 9 and under utilized mental health services in Vermont - up from 1,708 in 1999.

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Overstressed students in New York could get mental health days excused if this bill passes.

Jones, J. (2019, September 5). Overstressed students in New York could get mental health days excused if this bill passes. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/05/us/new-york-school-mental-health-days-trnd/index.html

In this article the discussion of the importance of mental health is discussed within legislation. Suicide is becoming a more prominent problem within New York adolescents and the article further goes into the need for action. The action being allowing students to miss their classes in order to take care of their mental health. The state recognizes that mental health is important and should be treated the same as physical health when it comes to the need for time off of their education. This is relevant in the classroom because a lot of the time in younger grades mental illness can be overlooking and to show care for your kids is the first step to them feeling comfortable enough to go to you for help.

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Anna Jones- "Brandon Brooks of the Philadelphia Eagles couldn't play due to bout with anxiety"

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Anna Jones- "Brandon Brooks of the Philadelphia Eagles couldn't play due to bout with anxiety"

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Li, D. K. (2019, Nov 26).

Brandon Brooks of the Philadelphia Eagles couldn't play due to bout with anxiety. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/brandon-brooks-philadelphia-eagles-couldn-t-play-due-bout-anxiety-n1091656

In this article about a football player suffering from mental illness, NBC reports that Eagles offensive lineman Brandon Brooks could not play due to anxiety. Brooks made a statement on Twitter detailing the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as nausea and vomiting that prevented him from playing in the game against the Seahawks. In his statement, the 6-foot-5 athlete clarified that he is neither ashamed nor embarrassed about his condition. Eagles coach Doug Pederson commented that he and his players love and support Brooks. Brooks joins athletes Kevin Love and Michael Phelps, who, among others, have openly discussed mental health. This article is important for students in the preK-4 classroom because some of them see athletes, especially Eagles players, as heroes, and the epitome of toughness. Hearing a professional football player discuss his mental health struggles helps to de-stigmatize it. Students may have a characterization or stereotype of an anxious person in their head, and this story may help to break that stereotype, showing that mental illness does not discriminate. The article can also be used as a talking point to illustrate how mental health issues can manifest in physical symptoms and prevent someone from doing their job.

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A hulking Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman admitted Monday he was sidelined from his team's most recent game due to an overwhelming and debilitating bout of anxiety.

Brandon Brooks, a 6-foot-5, 335-pound starting guard, played in just 12 of his team's 76 offensive snaps against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in Philadelphia.

"I'd like to address what happened yesterday," he wrote on Twitter, a day after Seattle's 17-9 victory over the Eagles. "I woke up, and did my typical routine of morning vomiting. It didn't go away like it normally does, but I figured it would calm down once I got to the stadium. It did, but I felt exhausted."

Soon Brooks, who has been open about his battles with anxiety, realized he couldn't play at full strength.

"The nausea came back, and I tried to battle through it and went out for the first drive," he wrote. "The nausea and vomiting came back until I left the field, and tried everything I could to get back for my teammates but just wasn't able to do it."

Eagles coach Doug Pederson said coaches and players have Brooks' back.

"This is a real-life issue that he has come out and publicly acknowledged and kind of shared his story a few years back," Pederson told radio station WIP in Philadelphia on Monday.

"It's something that he's dealing with each and every day of his life. You never really know what triggers it. We're here to support him, we love him. It is unfortunate that it happened, but it's something that he deals with every single day. We're just going to continue to support him."

Brooks, 30, a Milwaukee native and alumnus of Miami University in Ohio, wrote that he's not ashamed of his anxiety - but is upset that he couldn't help his teammates Sunday.

The Eagles, who are averaging 22.1 points per game this season, could only muster a field goal and a touchdown toward the end against a below-average Seahawks defense.

"The only thing I'm upset about is that when my team needed me, I wasn't able to be out there with them and for them," he wrote. "Lastly I appreciate the support of my coaches, teammates and fans. It doesn't go unnoticed."

Brooks is far from the only elite athlete to openly talk about mental health issues.

NBA star Kevin Love, Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Zack Greinke and all-time great swimmer Michael Phelps have also spoken publicly about their struggles in recent years.

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Brandon Brooks of the Philadelphia Eagles couldn't play due to bout with anxiety

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The offensive lineman said he is not "ashamed or embarrassed" by his condition.

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Mental and Emotional Health: Trauma Informed Education

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Mental and Emotional Health: Trauma Informed Education

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Four Perspectives. (2013, May 29). Retrieved from https://traumasensitiveschools.org/trauma-and-learning/

More and more school aged children walk into school, having suffered trauma. This site explains the necessity of trauma-informed education that helps these students learn, while helping them process their experiences. It also gives solutions, resources, and an ideal course of action to make trauma-informed a whole-school effort.

One piece of the source that I found valuable was about the "Four Perspectives" that surround trauma. It quotes a student, parent, teacher, and principal. The student feels frustrated and discouraged, saying: "I really try to listen to what the teacher is saying. Sometimes I can see her mouth moving but can’t hear a thing." The parent expresses that, "
The teacher told me my six year old, Tyrone, is the terror of his first grade class." followed by her sobering truth: "Tyrone fled with me and his sister from a father who abused us." Meanwhile, the teacher is feeling frustrated and helpless, saying "Every year, there are a few students in my 6 th grade class I just can’t reach no matter what I try." They do however, come around to state that: "After learning about trauma’s impact at school, these behaviors began to make sense to me." Lastly, the administrator's input is that they started out by noticing that "We had dedicated teachers at our school, but we couldn’t make gains in academic achievement.", and are now in a place where their school has recognized: "We are an urban school and our students deal with a great deal of adversity—from gun shots in the neighborhood to home invasions to homelessness and foster care." My takeaway from this is that becoming trauma-informed is a learning process which involves effort from everyone involved.

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The teachers tell me I'm smart. They say I'm just not trying.

I find myself staring out the window during class. Next thing I know two weeks have passed and I have failed yet another algebra or biology test.

I really try to listen to what the teacher is saying. Sometimes I can see her mouth moving but can't hear a thing.

They say I have potential but that I am slipping out of reach. I wish I could focus and soak in the material, but I just can't.
I wish they understood how hard it is.
The teacher told me my six year old, Tyrone, is the terror of his first grade class.

She said he pinches, hits, and refuses to obey her.

I recently had to attend a suspension hearing where he was put out of school for 3 days.

At the shelter and at church, Tyrone is a different child. He clings to his sister and me.

He often wakes up with nightmares and a bed that is wet.

Tyrone fled with me and his sister from a father who abused us.
Our shelter advocate is coming with me to the next school meeting. She says the school can help him learn if they focus on helping him feel safe. I hope the school will listen to us.
Every year, there are a few students in my 6th grade class I just can't reach no matter what I try.

Sometimes, a student's disruptive behavior keeps him sitting in the principal's office more than at his desk.

Other times, a student can't focus on one thing for more than 30 seconds. The whole year might go by without one homework assignment turned in.

After learning about trauma's impact at school, these behaviors began to make sense to me.

Now I focus on making routines predictable and try to be more conscious of the tone of voice I use with all my students.

But I'm only one teacher in my students' day. I know that for students to truly feel safe, trauma sensitive approaches must be infused throughout the entire building.
How do I get this started at my school? I can see that it will take all of us-including our principal.
We had dedicated teachers at our school, but we couldn't make gains in academic achievement.

Our teachers became masters at collecting and analyzing data and planning individualized interventions to address the needs of every child.

We did everything we could think of to improve academic progress, but our scores were the lowest in our district.

We knew we needed to go deeper-our teachers were very good at teaching, but there was something more we needed to do.

We are an urban school and our students deal with a great deal of adversity-from gun shots in the neighborhood to home invasions to homelessness and foster care.

We began to learn about the impacts of trauma and the importance of creating a whole-school environment where every child feels safe.
That was the missing piece. The staff became energized and we began to take action toward creating a trauma sensitive school. By the end of the year, those scores started to creep up. We had begun to turn a corner.

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Trauma and Learning - Four Perspectives - Trauma Sensitive Schools

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The teachers tell me I'm smart. They say I'm just not trying. I find myself staring out the window during class. Next thing I know two weeks have passed and I have failed yet another algebra or biology test. I really try to listen to what the teacher is saying.

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Maddy Gilligan - "How Can Schools Promote Positive Mental Health"

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Maddy Gilligan - "How Can Schools Promote Positive Mental Health"

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This article talks about focusing on young people's mental health around the world. While specifically focusing on mental health in UK schools, strong points were made about the issues affecting young people in 2018, including exam pressures, the modern technological world, growing social media, LGBTQ+, and demands on young people. The article encourages teachers and staff in schools to promote positive mental health by encouraging social time, running lunchtime clubs, having an open-door policy,  making mental health know, and organizing a wellness week.

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Promoting Mental Health in Schools | Tips for Teachers

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For #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek, we’re looking at promoting positive mental health in schools. Find ideas you can easily add to the school routine, here.

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Tess Macarty- "Utah State University develops mental health app that is free for students"

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Tess Macarty- "Utah State University develops mental health app that is free for students"

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This article talks about the rise of mental health disorders in students today and how a lot of students don't seek treatment for a multitude of reasons. The goal of this app was to take what they know about strategies that they implement in therapy sessions as psychologists and put it in a format that students feel comfortable accessing- for free.

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LOGAN - Faced with the challenge of a growing demand for mental health care and not enough resources, one Utah State University professor came up with a way to put some of the tools that psychologists often use with their clients into an online program.

"Really the focus has been, how do we take the psychological skills we know are helpful when we do them in therapy and translate them into this other format?" said Michael Levin, who is an associate professor of psychology at USU. "These skills we know can help with a wide range of mental health problems, like depression, anxiety, coping with health problems, just general stress."

Levin spent several months putting some of those tools into software form, testing them and putting them into an online program called ACT guide, which stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

The ACT guide costs $10 for six months but was recently made free for all current USU students.

"Some people are uncomfortable with seeking therapy," Levin said. "They're not sure if they need to see at therapist also, so this provides a low-intensity option."

However, Levin added the ACT guide is not meant to take the place of a counselor.

"A lot of people see a therapist and they get a lot of help from it," Levin said. "That's the best way to get help, but this gives an additional resource."

James Morales, vice president of student affairs at USU, said the program is just one more tool among many others that are designed to reach out to more people.
Wherever people are on that spectrum of mental health concerns, we think these skills could be a benefit to them.
-Michael Levin, USU associate professor of psychology

"The demand for services has been growing fairly exponentially over the last few years," Morales said. "As one of the universities that has a sizeable population of residential students, we've learned that no one single approach was going to be best to address their needs."

Morales added one of the main reasons for that exponential growth in demand was the fact that stigmas over seeking mental health have gone down significantly in recent years.

"This is about helping people re-engage in doing the things that matter, and move toward those things, even if it is difficult," Levin said. "Wherever people are on that spectrum of mental health concerns, we think these skills could be a benefit to them."

The ACT guide can be found here.

Mike Anderson

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USU develops mental health app, makes it free for students

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Faced with the challenge of a growing demand for mental health care and not enough resources, one Utah State University professor came up with a way to put some of the tools that psychologists often use with their clients into an online program.

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Bob Capozzoli-"Schools grapple with student depression"

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Bob Capozzoli-"Schools grapple with student depression"

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This article on schools grappling with student depression, reports a study that student depression is on the rise. The data shows that mental health incidents for students have gone up over the last decade, while it has remained unchanged for adults. This confirms what many educators believe has already been evident in their classrooms.

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Schools Grapple With Student Depression as Data Show Problem Worsening

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A new study shows rising rates of mental health incidents among teens and young adults, while rates for older generations remain stable. The findings point to possible generational causes such as technology use, a psychologist says.