“We know that schools, families, and communities are eager to support the mental health of children and adolescents, especially in this time of intense crisis. This practical guide provides a variety of resources to start and expand these critical services at a time when they are most needed.” -Tracy Mendez, Executive Director of the California School-Based Health Alliance. In partnership…
The Breaking Barriers Toolkit was developed to highlight the essential components of effective cross-systems practice and the strategies that improve outcomes for children, families and communities. Implementation of these practice components—Shared Leadership, Shared Data and Outcomes Management, Shared Fiscal Management, and Shared Community—leads to successful integration of care and services, thereby addressing the unmet social, emotional and developmental needs of…
The 5 Protective Factors are widely known in the Family Strengthening Field as a way to increase family strengths and decrease the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. They can also play a significant role in preventing and reducing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in children and families. In our newest knowledge to action brief, we discuss a 6th protective factor,…
The majority of people living in California have experienced at least one (1) adverse childhood experience (ACE). Fully 16% have experienced 4 or more ACEs. In SPI’s first ACEs Aware Knowledge to Action Brief, we focus on the challenges children face in the midst of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how lasting impacts can be prevented or reduced using the…
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently reports that the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is low for young Americans, research on natural disasters makes it clear that, compared to adults, children are more vulnerable to the emotional impact of traumatic events that disrupt their daily lives. This resource offers information on supporting and protecting children’s emotional…
Most of the time the joys of being a parent outweigh the frustrations. When the challenges of parenting accumulate and become overwhelming, parental stress can occur. According to the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), even though all parents experience stress, by increasing parental resilience, parents can effectively manage stressful situations and help ensure positive outcomes for their…
Supporting young children to develop social-emotional skills is found to have a profound effect on their health and development in early life and as adults. Social-emotional competence, which includes self regulation, executive functioning, emotional and impulse control, and social and communication skills, influences children’s cognitive and language development, academic achievement, and mental health (CSSP, n.d.). Access the Knowledge to Action…
When parents have a strong understanding of how their children will grow and develop over time and are able to implement positive parenting practices to help support their child’s development, they are more equipped to respond effectively to their children’s needs. Current research emphasizes that a parent’s ability to consistently meet a child’s needs at each stage of development is…