Tag: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

New app to help parents prevent bullying

By Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News

Photo/ SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Photo/ SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Parents are receiving a new resource tool this school season with a smartphone app called “Knowbullying.” The free app, available for Android and iPhone, and created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with StopBullying.gov Federal partnership, is being touted as an app to help parents and others prevent bullying.

This might interest Washington parents and educators as the state is ranked number five in the nation with the highest number of bullying incidents, according to a June 2013 report from Simplefacts.org.

As students across the nation finish their first week of school, bullying may not be a large concern until it happens. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states, “close to half of all children will experience school bullying at some point while they are at primary or secondary school.” In 2010, 71 percent of students reported bullying as an on-going problem. Grades 4 through 8 were reported as the years with the highest bullying incidents, with 90 percent of students experiencing some form of bullying.

Bullying can happen through a variety of mediums such as social media, known as cyber bullying, verbal abuse and intimidation, text messages and physical abuse. Knowing the signs of bullying can help prevent further acts of bullying that can lead to lasting physical and emotional impacts.

“KnowBullying” provides parents and educators the tools they need to engage youth in conversations about bullying. Through the app, you are provided conversation starters, tips and learning strategies to prevent bullying for ages 3-6, 7-13 years, and teens. The app also provides warning signs to recognize if your child is engaging in bullying, being bullied, or witnessing bullying, and connects you to social media within the app where you can share successful strategies and find useful advice via Facebook, Twitter, email, and text messages.

“The KnowBullying app empowers parents and caregivers by placing resources they need right in their hands to help prevent bullying,” explains Paolo del Vecchio, director of SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services, in a press release on the apps official release. “This needs to be part of a community-wide effort to help protect our children from the unnecessary harm, and in some cases, devastating long-term consequences of bullying.”

You can download “KnowBullying” for free from the Android Play store and iTunes for iPhone. For more information about bullying or how to prevent it, please visit the website www.bullyingstatistics.org.

 

Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402: bmontreuil@tulalipnews.com

New campaign to help parents talk to younger children about the dangers of underage drinking

“Talk. They Hear You.” a new national public service announcement (PSA) campaign that empowers parents to talk to children as young as nine years old about the dangers of underage drinking was launched today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The kickoff occurred in conjunction with SAMHSA’s 2013 National Prevention Week—an annual health observance dedicated to increasing awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. 

SAMHSA’s latest report on underage drinking shows that more than a quarter of American youth engage in underage drinking. Although there has been progress in reducing the extent of underage drinking in recent years, particularly among those aged 17 and younger, the rates of underage drinking are still unacceptably high. 
 
“Talk. They Hear You.” raises parents’ awareness about these issues and arms them with information they need to help them start a conversation about alcohol with their children before their children become teenagers.
 
“These young people are our future leaders—our future teachers, mayors, doctors, parents, and entertainers,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde.  “As our youth and young adults face challenges, we as a community, need to effectively communicate with them in every way possible about the risks of underage drinking so that they have the necessary tools to make healthy and informed choices.    
 
“Talk. They Hear You.” features a series of TV, radio, and print PSAs in English and Spanish launching today. The PSAs show parents “seizing the moment” to talk with their children about alcohol such as while preparing dinner or doing chores together. By modeling behaviors through these PSAs, parents can see the many “natural” opportunities for initiating the conversation about alcohol with their children. 
 
The strength of “Talk. They Hear You.” is in its diverse network of campaign partners that will help implement the campaign in local communities across the country.
 
Visit www.underagedrinking.samhsa.gov for more tips and information.     
 
For more information about SAMHSA visit: http://www.samhsa.gov/
 
                                                                                                             
 
 
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.  SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.