May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May 18, 2021

To Our Catholic School Community:

We are pleased to forward the following letter from Christine Cavalucci, Executive Director, ADAPP, regarding Mental Health Awareness Month.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We all have mental health and it’s okay to talk about it!

Mental health is defined as “an important part of health and well-being. It includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think feel and act. It determines how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices. It is important at every stage of life from childhood through adolescence through adulthood.”

Mental health is not just the absence of a mental disorder. It’s about promoting mental wellness and it is an active process. As we continue to navigate through the pandemic, promoting mental health and wellness is especially important. Just like physical health, children and teens must learn that mental health is a key dimension to overall well-being.

In order to promote emotional, psychological and social well-being, parents and caregivers can:

• Encourage youth to talk about what is going on in their lives.
• Model support with active listening.
• Allow them to express and identify their feelings.
• Explain that everyone experiences a range of emotions.
• Stress self-care and help identify coping strategies when needed.
• Have youth identify who they can go to for help when they do not feel mentally well.

It is equally important to take care of one’s own mental health. If you have traveled on a plane, you know that you are told to put your oxygen mask on first. Find ways to take care of yourself and model healthy coping strategies. We have put together a one page resource guide.  Click here to view this guide as a flyer.

Below are resources that provide information about mental health and mental health concerns.

https://nyprojecthope.org/recognizing-coping-with-stress-for-children-and-adolescents/
NY Project Hope website -- Coping with COVID: Tips for parents of children and adolescents. This resource helps parents and caregivers recognize and help children and adolescence cope with stress

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/mental-health/prevention-and-wellness-  promotion/supporting-childrens-mental-health-tips-for-parents-and-educators
Supporting Children’s Mental Health: Tips for Parents and Educator: A Resource from the NASP

May Toolkit 2021 | Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc (mhanys.org)
Mental Health Association in NYS – May Toolkit2021

https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//resilience_and_child_traumatic_stress.pdf
From NCTSN, this guide defines resilience and factors that enhance resilience in children following a traumatic event.

https://www.apa.org/topics/parenting/resilience-tip-tool?tab=4:
American Psychological Association Resilience Booster Tips for Parents

For more information, go to  www.adapp.org  and click on the pop up for Mental Health Awareness Month. Follow us on social media: Twitter: @adappny Instagram: @adapp_ny Facebook: Adapp NY

Stay Well,

Christine Cavallucci, LCSW, CPP Executive Director, ADAPP