Parent University | January 2021
Topic: Teen depression and suicide
This month's virtual Parent University focuses on teen mental health with a presentation called More Than Sad from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
More Than Sad has taught over a million students, families and educators how to be smarter about mental health. This interactive presentation teaches students, parents and guardians how to recognize signs of depression and other mental health problems, initiate a conversation about mental health and get help. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, as well.
The presentation also includes the film "Teen Depression," which is designed to demystify treatment and encourage students who are struggling to seek help (view a trailer of the film).
The program is free but registration is required. Please see below for more information on how to register for one of the sessions. Both sessions will feature the same information.
Virtual MTS presentations
We will be offering More than Sad (MTS) presentations on the dates listed below. We ask that individuals interested in participating in these presentations register in advance using the link below.
This presentation is best suited for families with middle and high school students.
We’re sorry, no events were found for this calendar.
For more information, contact:
Sandra Goldmeer
Area Director, Capital Region New York
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
sgoldmeer@afsp.org
(518) 791-1544
Additional COVID-19 health resources
Beyond the trauma of living through this global pandemic, we continue to see equity issues grounded in systemic racism throughout our country.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after experiencing a traumatic event. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How children react or common signs of distress can vary according to age.
- An article on racism from starr.org
- CDC tips on returning to school following a disaster
- National Association of School Pyschologists article on supporting students during stressful times
We have included these additional helpful resources below to provide more information on COVID-19.
- U.S Centers for Disease Control
- New York State Department of Health
- New York State Novel Coronavirus Hotline – 888-364-3065
Below are resources that address social-emotional needs of all stakeholders, including students, during an infectious disease outbreak.
- School Mental Health and Training Center
- NYS Office of Mental Health
- Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Below are resources that may be helpful in talking to children about COVID-19:
- Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
- Fear of Coronavirus—A Good Time to Talk to Kids About Keeping Fears Realistic and ManageableTalking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
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The National Association of School Psychologists offers a wide range of suggestions to help parents and guardians talk with children about COVID-19. These suggestions include remaining calm and assuring, making yourself available to young people, keeping explanations age-appropriate, avoiding excessive blaming, monitoring television and social media exposure, maintaining a normal routine to the extent possible, being honest and accurate, knowing the symptoms of COVID-19, reviewing and modeling basic hygiene and healthy lifestyle practices for protection, and discussing new rules or practices for school.
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Talking to Kids About Coronavirus, an article from The Daily Reporter
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Talking to young children about masks, an article from The New York Times
Print resources from the CDC:
Print resources from NYSDOH:
Print resources from the City School District of Albany:
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