Mental health

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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Lancaster’s Community Addiction Conference

The Positive Change Conference is Lancaster County’s community conference on addiction, serving helping professionals, college students, and anyone interested in addiction prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. Although it’s been an annual event in one form or another since 1991, Compass…
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Statement on Racial Equity

As an organization dedicated to the prevention of addiction, Compass Mark is acutely aware of the impacts of trauma, violence, and inequity in our community. We grieve the disproportionate loss of life and freedoms experienced by people of color, and…
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