For Immediate Release: May 10, 2017

Throughout the month of May, in recognition of the 2017 Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services' Center for Children and Families is engaging the community with the theme of resilience.

The effort builds on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) national theme: Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health.

Among the many resources provided this month, Kognito’s At-Risk for Elementary, Middle School and High School along with Step In, Speak Up are a couple of research-proven online training simulations designed to prepare concerned adults to:

1)      Recognize when a young person is exhibiting signs of psychological distress, and;

2)      Manage a conversation with the young person with the goal of connecting them with the appropriate support.

For more information about the trainings or Kognito, visit http://kognito.com/nova. Kognito also offers Friend2Friend simulations to help high school youth provide peer support. To access this simulation, visit kognitocampus.com/peer.

Other events and activities include:

• Got Bounce? Resiliency Counts! teen and parent kit distribution and announcements at Alexandria City
  Public Schools
• Documentary screening of Resilience: The Biology of Science of Hope on May 16, 7 – 9 p.m.
• Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Youth MHFA training
• Yoga at William Ramsay Elementary School and Recreation Center, Carpenter’s Shelter and ShelterCare
• Be Strong Families Parent Cafés

For more event information and mental health resources, visit www.alexandriava.gov/DCHS.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disability Act, as amended.  To request a reasonable accommodation, email maurice.tomdio@alexandriava.govor call 571.384.5244.