BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) — Mental health is one of the biggest issues students are coping with coming out of the pandemic. On Wednesday, News 4 learned more about how parents and educators are working together on plans to address the increased demand for help.
“Mental health is a very difficult animal. It’s not an easy fix.” WNY Mental Health Advocate“So when we come together as a group like this, we get to pick the brains of everyone in that room and really see how we can support our kids as a community.”
On Wednesday, more than 100 educators, counselors and community leaders took the first step toward building a closer collaborative network to help children meet challenges in and out of the post-pandemic classroom.
Isolation, social media, and many other factors are increasing student anxiety and depression, according to those who work with children.
“There were children and adults who lived in isolation for so long that they forgot how to interact with each other, how to manage their emotions, how to solve problems, how to resolve conflicts,” Ann said. Nowak said. , Director of Sweet Home Family Support Center. “That means going back to basics and teaching kids how to do it again.”
” why It’s not that important,” added Dziwulski. “It’s what we’re going to do about it and what we’re going to do to help it. Consider how you can incorporate positive elements into your
Advocates say what students need now is support in the classroom, at home, and across the community. During the conference, educators shared with supporters what they found working and what wasn’t working as they wanted to provide community resources to children and parents in need.
Hamburg Supervisor Michael Cornell, who is also president of the Erie/Niagara Supervisors Association, said: “That’s why it’s important to bring people together.”
Organizers said this was the first of many conversations scheduled regarding student mental health.
