In these unprecedented times, CASA aims to continue assisting our families and community members in dealing with the many mental health concerns that may come out of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. In keeping with this, we have launched a new initiative, "The Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health Web Series," an interactive live series featuring insights from experts.
CASA Family Advisory Council's Candace Fehr talks about what the COVID-19 pandemic means for families.
Dr. Andrew Bremness speaks on understanding and processing the trauma of the COVID-19 situation, and how best to safely cope.
Dr. Mercy Yeboah-Ampadu talks about what the COVID-19 situation means for the mental health of children and youth, and how we can best help them understand and cope.
CASA has a discussion with addictions experts and those with lived addictions experience on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the lives of those struggling or recovering from addictions, and how you can help.
CASA Youth Council members discuss what the COVID-19 pandemic means for young people and how it can affect youth from varying circumstances.
CASA has a discussion with some inspiring individuals on the importance of practicing self-care, hope, and resiliency in the climate of social distancing, isolation, and disruption to our routine.
Considerations of safety have long been at the forefront of work with children and youth in out-of- home care, though what that looks like has evolved over the years. The introduction of Trauma- Informed Care has resulted in more in-depth explorations of the meaning of safety for both young people and their carers in order to promote both organizational and individual health. Determining what safety means for individuals both within and outside of this system of care is a critical point of connection and intervention. This presentation will present the concept of safety as critical to the mental health of children in care environments.
Even those of us who don’t normally suffer from depression can find ourselves feeling particularly down in the winter months. Join us for a pragmatic and candid review of depression from expert (and sufferer) Dr. Ted Jablonski, who will discuss the difference between dysthymia and depression, and where Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) fits in. We will take a look at the spectrum of treatment options for depression, and discuss the stigma of mental illness and the keys to resilience, mental well-being, and happiness.
Join the CASA Youth Council for a youth perspective on turning adversity into action. Hear five diverse youth outlooks on topics like healthcare & systems, friends & relationships, school, family, and stigma, and learn how you in the community can create change and impact youth mental health on a small (or large!) scale.
The early years of brain development are arguably the most important of all in shaping a persons’ social, emotional, and relational faculties, yet so few people are aware that infant and preschool-aged children are just as able to suffer from mental health issues as adults. In this session, we examine what is known about the earliest years of brain development, and what can happen when that development is disrupted. We also take a look at attachment and the crucial role it plays in our very earliest years of life.
Trauma is the lasting emotional response that is the result of living through a distressing event. It is the basis for many mental health issues and is a common factor in many chronic diseases, yet its negative impact on child and youth development, as well as on general health, is often misunderstood.
In this session, we will explore the impact of trauma on brain development & growth, and how trauma impacts disease at all ages.
We also hear from panelists who have been impacted by trauma about how it affects their daily life.
Dr. Jacqueline Pei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, and Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. Dr. Pei and panelists engage in an informed and candid discussion about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, and its effects on the mental health of children and youth.
Keli Anderson of FamilySmart, along with panelists, discuss the importance of the input of families in providing the highest quality mental health treatment for children and adolescents. Families hold the expertise and lived experience, and are active participants and valuable resources throughout the mental health treatment process.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Ian Manion joins a panel to explore issues around how children and teens transition to adult care in our mental health care system. Manion was the keynote speaker on Jan. 24, 2019, as part of the Dr. Roger Bland Lecture Series on Improving Children's Mental Health.