Compass Mark Provides Grant-Funded Training for Educators
Funds help educators intervene when students are struggling The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is an integral part of Pennsylvania schools, offering resources to struggling students to remove barriers to learning. Most of these barriers end up being mental health or…
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Talk to Kids About Marijuana
Mental health issues top the list of concerns Most of the information young people get about marijuana is pushed out by the commercial industry, which is expected to pull in $45 billion in 2025 in the U.S. In Pennsylvania alone,…
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Problem Gambling Awareness: Every Story Matters
March is National Problem Gambling Awareness Month with the theme Every Story Matters—a chance to build understanding and support for people impacted by gambling disorders (GD). Any positive screening for substance use disorder (SUD) or mental illness should include a gambling assessment, as research has shown…
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Positive Change Virtual Conference
Register for the Positive Change Virtual Conference by March 12 to receive your Snack Box of tasty treats before the event! The event is April 3 & 4, 2024 from 8:00am – 12:30pm each day. This year’s theme is Bridging the Gaps: Building…
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Juvenile Justice: We Can and Must Do Better
Compass Mark focuses on youth in the criminal justice system this month because—like adults—many enter this system due to the multiple hardships they have faced, including childhood toxic stress. Young people with mental health or addiction issues—or both—have a higher…
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Toxic Stress: Difficult Childhoods Impact Body & Brain
It was the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study in 1997 that made the link between early trauma and illness later in life official. The results overwhelmingly showed that the more significant hardships a person goes through in childhood, the greater…
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Building Healthy Brains: There is Life After Trauma
As we learned in our June Mental Health Moment segment, adverse childhood experiences (ACES) can result in toxic levels of stress, which can harm our physical and mental health later in life. This month, we focus on helping children to…
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Now is the Time: Support Student Mental Health
The mental health of young people has been negatively impacted by the stresses of modern life. Today’s youth juggle classes, extracurriculars, family & friends. They may have part-time jobs or help look after younger siblings. In addition, they are faced…
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Stressed Out? Pause, Notice, and Find Support
Photo credit: Lynn Johnson For me, stress plays out like this – poor sleep, an eye twitch, a hot ear, and blotchy skin. What do I do for a living? I teach stress management and mindful practices and have for…
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How to Prevent Addiction Disorders: Learn About Risk & Protective Factors
Prevention of substance use and gambling disorders is NOT simply about telling kids not to do these things. Effective prevention starts with identifying what children and youth in the community need, and then meeting that need with research-backed strategies. Risk…
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