Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a significant and growing public health problem, yet public health approaches to eliminating CAN have not been widely embraced in the United States or in social work education. Public health approaches require a large … Read More
Mental Health
Building Generational Resilience: Supporting BIPOC Grandfamilies and Kinship Families’ Mental Health
Have you ever felt the need to be seen and acknowledged? It’s a universal desire, right?! Unfortunately, the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves, especially concerning mental health and wellness. That’s … Read More
Data Snapshot Reveals Alarming Depression Rates Among Youth
OJJDP has updated its Statistical Briefing Book with a new Data Snapshot on major depressive episodes (MDE) among youth. The snapshot draws on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The data show one in five youth ages 12–17 experienced an MDE in … Read More
Clearinghouse Approves New Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs for Family First Act Funding
Last month, the clearinghouse that greenlights foster care prevention services approved several iterations of a mental intervention known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, as well as a positive reinforcement approach to treating substance abuse. The clearinghouse was established in relation to … Read More
The Misdiagnosed and Overmedicated Children in Foster Care
Introduction There is an understanding among professionals working within the family policing system that most children entering foster care have experienced trauma either from their home environment, system involvement (including being removed from their home), or from an out-of-home placement … Read More
Spotlight On Youth Mentoring
WHAT IS MENTORING AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? Mentoring involves a supportive, caring relationship between an adult and a young person, either established formally through a program or occurring naturally such as with a neighbor or coach. Formal mentoring relationships may be offered through … Read More
The Core Characteristics Of Generation Z
Generation Z has emerged as a population increasingly worthy of attention, especially now as its older members are in their 20s and have become a politically engaged force in recent elections. Born after 1996, Generation Zers made up one-tenth of the 2020 electorate and have added 8.3 million newly … Read More
FACT SHEET: President Biden to Announce Strategy to Address Our National Mental Health Crisis, As Part of Unity Agenda in his First State of the Union
In his first State of the Union, the President will outline a unity agenda consisting of policy where there has historically been support from both Republicans and Democrats, and call on Congress to send bills to his desk to deliver … Read More
Exploring the Effects of Maltreatment and Child Welfare System Experiences on Juvenile Justice Involvement
This dissertation examines the effect of maltreatment and child welfare experiences on juvenile justice involvement. Using a broad sample of youth who have been involved with probation and the advanced causal inference method of Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation (TMLE) and … Read More
Effectiveness of Family-Involved Interventions in Reducing Co-Occurring Alcohol Use and Mental Health Problems in Young People Aged 12–17: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
1. Introduction Mental health and substance use disorders are the 6th leading contributors to the global burden of disease in young people below the age of 24 [1], measured as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Alcohol is the most widely used … Read More