Posted on June 3, 2022
US News & World Reports
"Our kids are really struggling," said Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director of NAMI. As the current findings highlight, the problem was "very real" even before the pandemic, noted Crawford. "It's hard for adults to imagine that a 10-year-old could be having thoughts of suicide," she said. As for what parents can do, Crawford recommended parents check in with their kids regularly, asking how they are doing and about their friends. "You're planting the seed," Crawford said. "You're sending them the message that you're there, and you're a safe person for them to talk to."
READ MOREPosted on June 3, 2022
ABC News
Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director for NAMI, said that exposure to horrific events like the Uvalde shooting "can elicit symptoms that are consistent with a trauma response, almost." Crawford explained that after hearing or reading about events like a mass shooting, people may notice they are more on edge or irritable and may experience other symptoms such as difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
READ MOREPosted on June 1, 2022
Washington Journal: C-SPAN
Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI chief advocacy officer, is featured in a live, on-camera interview, discussing mental illness, misinformation, and explains ‘red flag’ laws. “It is rare that a shooter in this situation has a mental health diagnosis. When we focus on mental illness, it distracts from the topic at hand on how to address this gun violence crisis in this country. It also adds to the stigma around mental health, which has a tragic impact of discouraging people to go get the help that they need to get well and stay well. Mental health is health, and we should not be stigmatizing it in this way. We should be focused on solutions that really protect people.” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO.
READ MOREPosted on June 1, 2022
Washington Post: Health 202
Roughly 7 in 10 public schools are reporting a rise in students seeking mental health services since the beginning of the pandemic, according to new federal data. But just over half of all schools were able to effectively provide services to all students in need. The Biden administration proposal would allocate $1 billion to help double the number of school counselors, nurses and other workers in schools over the next decade. “Schools offer such a unique opportunity for early identification, prevention and intervention services for kids where they already are,” said Jennifer Snow, national director of government relations, policy and advocacy at NAMI.
READ MOREPosted on April 13, 2022
Associated Press
A major effort to overhaul mental health care and substance use treatment in the U.S. is gaining traction as Congress and the Biden administration work on overlapping plans to address concerns across dividing lines of politics, geography and race. Top goals include responding to the mental health crisis among youth, increasing the supply of professional counselors and clinicians, narrowing a persistent gap between care for physical and mental health problems, and preserving access to telehealth services that proved their usefulness in the pandemic. COVID-19 has laid bare the need. “There is a very nonpartisan aspect to this — I wouldn’t even say it’s bipartisan,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO. “The need for a rapid scale-up of mental health services is one of the few issues where the parties can come together.”
READ MOREPosted on April 8, 2022
U.S. News & World Report
If you’re working from home after spending months, or years, working in an office, you may find it hard to take breaks. “When working from home, it can be a little hard to figure out what a break looks like,” says Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director of NAMI. "In an office, breaks can be going to the water bubbler or stepping out of your cubicle to chitchat with a coworker.” These give you a chance to step away from what you’re doing and come back a little more focused. Another challenge is your day may seem to have endless hours, Crawford says. You end up working into the evening, and that can interfere with your sleep and make it hard to feel disconnected from work. Crawford has seen more anxiety and depression in her patients who feel too connected to work. “They don’t have enough time to do what they need to do, and at the same time, they feel there is time and feel guilty that they aren’t managing their time effectively,” she says.
READ MOREPosted on April 6, 2022
Washington Post
Researchers have found variations in a small number of genes that appear to dramatically increase the likelihood of developing schizophrenia in some people. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, a nationwide advocacy group, said the study is an important development in the neuroscience that underlies schizophrenia. But he said it is difficult to predict how soon such basic research would pay off for people living with the disease. “This is a big step forward for science that may pay a long-term return for people with schizophrenia and the people who live with them,” Duckworth said. But, he said, “if this is a 17-inning game and they’ve gotten us from the first to the second inning, how does this help someone today?”
READ MOREPosted on April 5, 2022
CNET
A new survey reveals that girls in particular were affected by the social isolation of the pandemic. The stress and adversity of the pandemic were not limited to just adults; teens and children felt it too. "It's no secret that kids are going through a lot right now. Knowing how to spot the signs of something more serious is vital," says Barb Solish, director of youth and young adult initiatives at NAMI. Talking to your children about mental health topics is difficult. "All kids experience 'bad days' now and then, but if their negative emotions, thoughts or behaviors are getting in the way of their everyday functioning, it is important to take notice and take action," Solish says.
READ MOREPosted on April 1, 2022
Fast Company
The long-term vision is that someone experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal ideation can dial 988 to reach a local call center for support or to dispatch a mobile crisis team. Many of the 180 local call centers across the country struggle with funding. “Mental health has been underfunded for decades — we get pennies here, pennies there,” says Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO. “The 911 system took decades to build but because of the pandemic, our need is high and we need to move as quickly as possible.” Congress did not mandate federal funding for 988, rather leaving it up to the states. Wesolowski says that due to the patchy funding, there won’t be a widespread marketing campaign for 988. “We don’t want people to call and not get connected,” she says. “The real fear is people losing trust in the system before the system is off the ground.”
READ MOREPosted on March 31, 2022
Morning Consult
Virtual health care has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and new data indicates digital tools targeting the behavioral health needs of children and teenagers are no exception. While clinicians and health executives say these tools could offer some solutions for young people, they also come with challenges. It’s important to establish long-term relationships for children’s mental health care because it can be difficult for them to be “fully present and engaged” in treatment through a screen, said Dr. Christine Crawford, NAMI associate medical director. For particularly young children, “it may be really tough for the mental health provider to do a thorough assessment of the child if they’re frequently getting up and running around.” Crawford, for one, stressed that the advent of virtual care for pediatric mental health should mean patients have more options, not that digital care fully replaces in-person treatment. “For some people who may have more significant mental health-related concerns, it may be beneficial for them to meet with a therapist or meet with the psychiatrist in person,” Crawford said. And they shouldn’t “feel as though it’s any sort of failing or shortcoming on their part if they’re not able to get all of their needs met in one of these virtual apps.”
READ MORENAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
