Sign Up for Public Health Weekly Newsletter
Dr. Jessica Schleider, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University, says social media platforms are one of the best ways to reach kids in crisis; Josh Hodges, chief customer officer at the National Council on Aging,...
Dr. Jessica Schleider, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University, says social media platforms are one of the best ways to reach kids in crisis; Josh Hodges, chief customer officer at the National Council on Aging, explains how older adults will be helped by a new direct care workforce strategy center; and a webinar will offer perspective on several ways to effectively advance STI program needs.
STAT News Article: Banning teens from social media won’t help their mental health. Here’s what might
ASTHO Webpage: Social and Behavioral Health
National Council on Aging Webpage: Meet our Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center Partners
ASTHO Webpage: Legislative Alerts
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, May 1, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
JESSICA SCHLEIDER:
Social media, despite popular discourse around it, actually could really be leveraged as a tool to promote youth mental health. Rather than just being viewed as a threat to mental health.
JOHNSON:
Many people are worried about the negative impact of social media on teens. But Dr. Jessica Schleider, a clinical psychologist and professor at Northwestern University, says platforms are one of the best ways to reach kids in crisis.
SCHLEIDER:
Youth are often seeking care in these, or seeking connection and seeking mental health information and support in these online spaces. In fact, one of the first places that adolescents go to look for mental health information and support is the internet, and namely social media platforms.
JOHNSON:
In the Lab for Scalable Mental Health, Schleider and others have developed bite-size interventions delivered on Instagram.
SCHLEIDER:
Teens can try these brief online activities which take anywhere from five to 20 minutes depending on which one we're talking about. And they teach coping strategies like how to talk back to negative thoughts when they're really stuck in your brain, or how to act and take steps towards a valued life even when depression feels really overwhelming, or how to seek support when you're feeling really isolated and alone.
JOHNSON:
Schleider says the early results are encouraging.
SCHLEIDER:
And we found in National Institute of Health-funded, randomized trials that these interventions can actually meaningfully reduce depression and anxiety symptoms even months later, despite the fact that they're only about five to 20 minutes long.
JOHNSON:
Schleider writes about her research in an article published by STAT News. You can read it by clicking the link in the show notes.
Today also is the first day of Mental Health Awareness month. You can check out ASTHO's work on this topic by going to the show notes.
A new direct care workforce strategy center will help states address the need to find more workers to care for older adults and those living with disabilities. Josh Hodges is with the National Council on Aging.
JOSH HODGES:
And it really is the result of work in the recognition that there is a need to fill millions of direct care worker jobs over the next 10 years and states play a key and vital role in actually providing the support to the direct care workforce.
JOHNSON:
Hodges says support includes a website technical assistance and the chance to connect with others.
HODGES:
It's really a peer-to-peer learning opportunity, where states are going to be coming together as a facilitated manner to talk through issues that are constant or current across states. Whether it be workforce issues, whether it be trading issues, whether it be wage issues.
JOHNSON:
The program will launch with five to seven states, but Hodges says that doesn't mean the others are left down.
HODGES:
But even if you are a part of a state that hasn't applied, I do want to remind you that there are all of these self-guided resources on the website. These are curated resources bringing expertise from across the country prepared to allow states to determine their own path with the direct care workforce.
JOHNSON:
Learn more about the plan and the partners who will help states build capacity. There's a link in the show notes.
Also today, policy work can keep some people awake at night. If you'd like to learn how to sleep easier, then you'll want to hear this report from O'Keyla Cooper.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
Join the Navigating the State Legislative Session and Department Collaboration webinar on May 22 at 3 p.m. ET to gain a policy one-on-one perspective on addressing policy challenges. Collaborating with state legislators and fostering relationships with stakeholders to effectively advance STI program needs, benefit from insights from experts at ASTHO, and two state STI program leaders from Washington and Texas. Register using the link in the show notes.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
On a related note, ASTHO Legislative Alert emails provide information about policy debates and decisions in Congress as they happen. You can join the list using the link in the show notes.
Before we go, a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player and connect with ASTHO on social media. We're on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
