Gerrie's Gazette May 2024

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

What is Mental Health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in work, school and caregiving. It plays an important part in the health of your relationships and allows you to adapt to changes in your life and cope with adversity.

Mental health is essential to living a balanced life. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans experience mental health issues, translating to more than 40 million adults a year. It’s important to remember that mental health is health and just as important as our physical health.

Science tells us that the foundations of sound mental health are built early in life. Early experiences—including children’s relationships with parents, caregivers, relatives, teachers, and peers—interact with genes to shape the architecture of the developing brain. Disruptions in this developmental process can impair a child’s capacities for learning and relating to others, with lifelong implications. The 5-minute video provides an overview of Establishing a Level Foundation for Life: Mental Health Begins in Early Childhood, a working paper by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

Science tells us that the foundations of sound mental health are built early in life. Early experiences—including children’s relationships with parents, caregivers, relatives, teachers, and peers—interact with genes to shape the architecture of the developing brain. Disruptions in this developmental process can impair a child’s capacities for learning and relating to others, with lifelong implications. The 5-minute video provides an overview of Establishing a Level Foundation for Life: Mental Health Begins in Early Childhood, a working paper by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-early-childhood-mental-health-video/

5 Facts About Health That Are Often Misunderstood

From the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

1. The experiences we have early in life are at least as important for the biological foundations of physical and mental health as the lifestyle choices we make as adults.
2. Poor health outcomes are not inevitable after experiencing adversity early in life, but they are more likely if we do not adequately support children and families experiencing persistent hardships or challenges.
3. When the developing brain and other biological systems adapt to what they experience in their environment, it may be positive in the short-term, but negative in the long-term.
4. The body’s stress response is the same, no matter what causes it, but a pile-up of stressors over time means there’s less time for recovery.
5. All policies and delivery systems serving young children and families across sectors can support both early learning and the foundations of lifelong health.

For more information, please see 5 Facts About Health That Are Often Misunderstood - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Department of Health Services Resources are available for parents, loved ones, and providers. There is support available with call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-943-5746 or 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) or click https://www.azdhs.gov/prevention/womens-childrens-health/maternal-health/know-the-signs/index.php

Arizona Statewide Crisis Hotline

• Phone: 1-844-534-4673 (HOPE)
• Text: 4HOPE (44673)
• Chat: Chat with a Crisis Specialist

National Suicide/Crisis Lifeline: 988

Especially for Teens

Teen Lifeline phone or text: 602-248-TEEN (8336)

Especially for Veterans

• Veterans Crisis Line: 988 (press 1)
• Be Connected: 1-866-4AZ-VETS (429-8387)

How Early Intervention Helps

Mallory shared:

“If Skylar hadn’t started building habits of learning through her experiences with early intervention and preschool, she would not be enjoying the success she is now!”

Read about Mallory Lee’s experience with Raising Special Kids and the Arizona Early Intervention Program https://raisingspecialkids.org/2019/10/01/how-early-intervention-helped-light-up-this-skye/

ICC Welcomes You to Join

The Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) for Infants and Toddlers welcomes you to join the council or one of the council committee(s). We are asking parents to get involved by sharing your experience with early intervention services and provide input to help improve supports and services in the future. The ICC advises and assists the Department of Economic Security, Arizona Early Intervention Program (DES/AzEIP) and its partner agencies to administer, promote, coordinate, and improve early intervention services for families and professionals.

We are excited about the initiatives we have moving forward and welcome parent involvement.

To learn more about the ICC visit the AzEIP website and click Stakeholders & Advocates on the left side of the page or call our Community Relations Liaison at (480) 915-5828.

Visit the ICC on Social Media - Facebook Arizona Early Childhood Community

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Arizona MaterNal & Child Health Needs Assessment

Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is excited to announce the launch of the 2025-2030 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Needs Assessment survey! The Title V MCH Block Grant (from the federal Human Resources and Service Administration and managed by the Bureau of Women's and Children's Health) is a key source of support for promoting and improving the health and well-being of mothers/pregnant people, infants, children, adolescents, including children/youth with special needs, and their families. We conduct a needs assessment every five years to identify new priorities for the block grant and set the course of action for future health programming in our state. The survey is one of the various ways that the Arizona Department of Health Services will use to accurately capture the needs of Arizona's families for preventive and primary care services in our state under the guidance and direction of our statewide steering committee of partners. For more information on the needs assessment, please visit our website: www.azdhs.gov/mchsurvey

The survey is available in English and Spanish and takes 15-20 minutes to complete. The data collection period will end on December 31, 2024. All data collected is anonymous, and only summary findings will be produced. Everyone is welcome to provide their input and perspective. You do not need to be a parent to complete the survey. All Arizona residents are invited to take the survey.

Parenting Classes

Learn the ABCs of Safe Sleep

Test your safe sleep knowledge and earn a free sleep sack. A sleep sack, also known as a wearable blanket, protects your baby by replacing loose blankets in the crib that could cover your baby’s face and restrict breathing. Strong Families AZ currently can only send sleep sacks to Arizona residents.

Take the quiz!

Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) Training

https://des.az.gov/services/disabilities/developmental-disabilities/current-member-resources/pbs-training

https://raisingspecialkids.org/events/ info@raisingspecialkids.org

Parenting Classes for Parents, Grandparents, and Caregivers in Coconino County

Professional Development

Early Intervention for Children Who Are Deafblind

https://www.nationaldb.org/products/modules/pd/module-2/

Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators

https://www.nationaldb.org/national-initiatives/iqp/professional-development-modules/

Resources to support Deafblind Children: https://www.nationaldb.org/

Parent Support Scholarships for Families with deaf, hard of hearing, deaf blind, deaf disabled and deaf plus children.

Providing a system of support so that families with deaf, hard of hearing, deaf blind, deaf disabled and Deaf Plus children can thrive. Parents can join online support sessions, get fast access to resources 24/7, and connect with other parents on the journey. Parent Circle serves all families with children of all ages. Please kindly share with your families.

Any parent in need can apply. https://www.parentcircledeafhh.com/scholarships

All Arizona kids and teens (ages 18 and under) are eligible for free meals through the Summer Food Service Program at participating schools and community sites across Arizona during the summer break. Meals include breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks and vary with each location.

No application or paperwork are needed. Children simply need to be present to receive their free, healthy meal.

For food assistance now, please contact the Az Hunger Hotline at 602-528-3434 or 1-800-445-1914 For more information visit https://www.azhealthzone.org/freesummermeals/