(DAYTON, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced that, in conjunction with the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, he will host an event called Building Resiliency: A Pediatric Mental Health Summit in September to help communities support the mental health needs of their children.
“From this spring’s tornados to the tragic shooting in the Oregon District, children in the Miami Valley are returning to the classroom this fall dealing with more trauma than they’ve likely ever experienced. The tragedies are compounded by struggles they, and children across Ohio, are already dealing with in their everyday lives,” said Governor DeWine. “We know that children who face this type of turmoil have increased risk of depression and other mental illness, poor health, and decreased life expectancy. Fortunately, there are proven ways to help. Parents, teachers, and coaches can play a critical supportive role in helping build resiliency in children and reducing the negative impact of trauma. This summit will give members of the community tools to provide brighter outcomes for our children.”
Building Resiliency: A Pediatric Mental Health Summit is open to adults across the state who touch the lives of children, such as parents, coaches, school personnel, counselors, and health care professionals. Attendees will learn how to spot the signs and symptoms of trauma in children and tangible strategies to address it from experts in mental health, health care education, and other fields.
"Bringing together the best minds in pediatric mental health and the critical partners who work on the front lines with children across the state is an important first step in creating real solutions that will not only build resiliency in children today but also give them the tools and resources they need well into the future,” said Deborah Feldman, President & CEO of Dayton Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association Board of Directors. “We are looking forward to working with Governor DeWine and stakeholders across Ohio on this initiative."
The event will take place on September 26, 2019, in Dayton. Registration information will be available soon at http://www.governor.ohio.gov. Individuals with questions on Building Resiliency: A Pediatric Mental Health Summit can contact conference@governor.ohio.gov.
For those looking for resources now, “Growing Resilience” is available to help parents understand the impact of trauma on children and how to help them heal. This online publication is a Strong Families Safe Communities project administered by Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services with funding support from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.