HELP WANTED
CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19.
2022-2023 PRE-K REGISTRATION OPEN Students entering Pre-Kindergarten are now eligible to register at the Pulaski County Special School District. The PCSSD Pre-K program is part of the Arkansas
An age-eligible child who falls into one of the following categories are exempt from the family income requirements: foster child, child in custody
Better Chance program and supported by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary
of/or living with a family member other than the mother or father, child with immediate family member
Education. It provides students with a strong
arrested for or convicted of drug-related offense, child with parent activated for overseas military duties.
foundation of knowledge and skills to build on through kindergarten and into elementary school. PCSSD Pre-K program, students must meet age requirements: Pre-K 4 students must be four (4) on or before August 1, 2022. Pre-K 3 students must be three (3) on or before August 1, 2022. AGE-ELIGIBLE CHILDREN MUST ALSO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: • Family with gross income not exceeding 200% of the Federal Poverty Level • Parents without a high school diploma or GED • Low birth weight (below 5 pounds, 9 ounces) • Parent under the age of 18 at the time of child’s birth • Immediate family member with documented history of substance abuse/addiction • Child has a developmental delay as identified through screening • Eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act • Limited English proficiency • Parent has a history of abuse or neglect or is a victim of abuse or neglect (documented)
Another option available to PCSSD families is our DRIVEN Virtual Academy. This is a 100% online school for students K-12. Nearly 600 students were enrolled in DRIVEN for the first semester of this school year. Students currently enrolled in PCSSD can fill out a letter of intent to return for the 2022-2023 school which can be found at PCSSD.org/register. Registration for students new to the district will open March 1.
ABOUT PCSSD Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly
REGISTER NOW pcssd.org/register
skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.
FEBRUARY 2022
ACTIVITIES & FUN
BLACK HISTORY MONTH Each year, Black History Month has a theme; for 2022, that theme is Black Health and Wellness. It’s critical that Black history is studied not just in February, but throughout the entire year. That said, it’s a fine time to celebrate some Arkansas African American authors by picking up copies of these recent releases, sure to be enjoyed by young and old alike: “From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair” by Crystal C. Mercer (Et Alia Press) and “Beasts of Prey” by Ayana Gray.
ARTS TAKE ACTION
Feb. 6, 2:30 p.m.
The third annual Arts Take Action at Wildwood Park for the Arts is a student-led fundraiser benefiting teenagers in crisis in Central Arkansas. The competitive event features a variety of mediums, including singing, acting, dance, instrumental and visual art. Run exclusively by high school students, Arts Take Action’s tagline is “Teens Helping Teens.” Proceeds benefit Immerse Arkansas. Based in Little Rock, Immerse provides 18- to 24-month transitional living for teenagers aged out of foster care and helps teens in crisis. Masks required. Tickets: $15. For more information, visit immersearkansas.org.
GROUNDHOG DAY
Feb. 2
Punxsutawney Phil can tell us if we’re in for six more weeks of winter; if only he could give us a pandemic forecast!
PULASKI HEIGHTS PICASSOS
March 12, 6:30–9 p.m.
A magical night of music, food, drinks and vibrant art, Picassos, the primary fundraiser for Pulaski Heights Elementary, returns Saturday, March 12, to the Museum of Discovery in downtown Little Rock. The adults-only event includes opportunities to bid on art in both a silent and live auction. In its 19th year, Picassos has gained a reputation not only as a lively celebration of the arts, but as a reliable venue to purchase artwork created by local and nationally acclaimed artists and craftsmen. In addition to providing needed equipment and supplies for PHE’s art classroom, the funds raised also ensure student participation in annual academic competitions and allow for the gifting of books to every child in the school. Visit facebook.com/PHEPicassos
CRITTER TALES
NATIONAL KITE FLYING DAY
Feb. 8
Feb. 6, 1-1:30 p.m.
Pinnacle Mountain State Park, 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road It’s story time with critter-loving Park Interpreter Miss Kellie! Gather ’round for a rollicking tale about the animals found at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Puppets and/or live animal ambassadors may even make a special appearance. For ages 4-7.
SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY PLANS IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING FOR SPRING 2022 Saline County Library has a large variety of recurring spring programs, as well as special programs throughout the season. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most programs will require registration and will have a limited number of spots available. There’s something for all ages, from toddlers to teens, from story time to chess club. Programmers do reserve the right to cancel any programs or change them to virtual as they see fit. To register, visit SalineCountyLibrary.org.
THIS DAY IN BLACK HISTORY
Feb. 26, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
This program at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center highlights figures in African American History through the lens of young people. Students are encouraged to dress up as historical figures and visit the museum to enjoy activities with their friends and families. The event will take place throughout the museum and is free and open to the public.
MARDI GRAS
Feb. 26, noon–3 p.m.
Downtown, SOMA Laissez les bons temps rouler! But will they? As of this writing, the parade will go on. Its theme is “Pirates and Popstars,” so be on the lookout for Madonna, Blackbeard and maybe even Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.
HELP WANTED
CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19. BY KATHERINE WYRICK
“E
veryone give a thumbs up if you’re glad to see your classmates!” That’s the upbeat voice of my third-grader’s teacher that I overhear as my son joins Zoom on the first day back to virtual learning. This veteran teacher, beloved by parents and students alike, somehow manages to sustain an optimism and enthusiasm that eludes most of us. This despite another shift to online school, an increase in behavioral problems in the classroom and a general undercurrent of anxiety that comes with living during a pandemic. My 9-year-old appears to be in good spirits, too; for the moment, the angst-filled months of virtual learning and social distancing are all but a distant memory. He animatedly waves to his classmates and adjusts his Chromebook to get our dogs in the frame. (Oh, bless the dogs, who have unknowingly become emotional support animals.) *Sigh.* But, here’s an idea. What would happen if we turned our collective sighing into mindful breathing? Because, ultimately, a sigh is just a deep breath without the intention. Breathwork is certainly one way to ease the ongoing stressors of the pandemic. We talked to professionals who shared other ways to help us and our kids navigate this brave new world.
A NATIONWIDE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
The American Psychological Association reports that, as the United States approaches two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental illness and the demand for psychological services are at all-time highs — especially among children and teens. In December 2021, the United States surgeon general confirmed this, announcing a mental health crisis for our nation’s youth. Before COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found one in five children had a mental disorder, with only
about 20% receiving care from a mental health provider. That number has jumped exponentially. NPR recently cited a survey showing that 88% of pediatricians in Virginia reported seeing a dramatic rise in mental health issues in their clinics. Whether kids are facing trauma because of loss of a family member or everyday anxiety about the virus and unpredictable routines, they need support now more than ever — amid a significant shortage of children’s mental health resources. Children of racial and ethnic minority families and rural families fare even worse, which means Arkansas kids have been hit hard. Arkansas Children’s Hospital reported a 150% increase in mental health-related emergency room visits compared to prepandemic levels. Many families have also lost jobs and vital support with interruptions in school, health care services and other community programs. Even with the protection of the COVID-19 vaccines, pandemic-related stress and traumas may have lasting effects on the developing minds of children and teens. We just don’t yet know to what degree. Mental health experts and pediatricians urge parents and caregivers to be on the lookout for signs of distress and check in with their children often. Symptoms range from younger kids demonstrating aggression and oppositional defiance, to older kids developing eating disorders. Some kids are regressing; others are grappling with social anxiety. The good news is that the Biden administration has earmarked federal dollars for children’s mental health and that there’s a renewed focus on the issue.
TWO PATHS TOWARDS HEALING
Methodist Family Health has long been a trusted resource for Arkansas families. They offer a wide variety of services, including inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for children ages 3 - 17; outpatient counseling clinics; grief counseling services; psychiatric residential treatment centers; therapeutic group homes; and school-based counseling services.
We focus here on their therapeutic day treatment for kindergarten through 12th grades and Arkansas CARES (Centers for Addictions Research, Education and Services), a residential program for mothers struggling with both substance abuse and mental health issues. We spoke to Kate Hardage, Methodist Children’s Home outpatient administrator, about these programs, which have been affected by the pandemic but continue to provide help to those in need. At the time we spoke to Hardage, Arkansas CARES, an eight-bed facility, had five women and their children in residence. Though not at capacity, Hardage said she has noticed a higher relapse rate over the past two years and a higher referral rate in the last two months — confirmation that the pandemic has indeed exacerbated substanceabuse problems. Hardage has also become aware of a distressing trend: occasional drug users turning into full-blown addicts. This 120-day program is notable for many reasons, not least of which is that it keeps children and mothers in recovery together. Hardage said, “It reunifies those who didn’t think they had that opportunity ... it’s getting to be a mother again.” The mothers and their kids receive a multitude of services: group and individual therapy, psychiatric care, relapse prevention, AA, life skills training, intervention within the schools, nursing services, child care, transportation, employment preparation, GED coordination, residential support and continuing care. “You name it, we have it,” Hardage said. They also offer a Mommy and Me class, which teaches moms how to play and interact with their children. Hardage said that teaching parenting skills is essential because a lot of the moms were never parented themselves. “Many don’t know how to play a game with their child. And they were high a lot of the time so the child ... just sat there. Skills that people think are innate, you can lose them. It’s amazing what trauma can do to your brain,” she said.
“Many families have also lost jobs and vital support with interruptions in school, health care services and other community programs. Even with the protection of the COVID-19 vaccines, pandemic-related stress and traumas may have lasting effects on the developing minds of children and teens.” A transitional home on campus, which can accommodate up to four mothers and their kids, houses graduates of the program (who must meet certain criteria to live there). While there, they receive more case management and home meetings, and there’s a house mother. After patients’ stay, case workers continue to follow their progress over a period of seven years. Few places offer this sort of continuity of care. Hardage also heads up the Therapeutic Day Center, which serves Arkansas students in kindergarten through 12th grades who have problems functioning in a traditional school setting. Students work with a multidisciplinary team to address their educational, behavioral, emotional and social needs. The program offers small classroom sizes and individualized instruction where teachers can focus on a particular issue or problem a student is facing. Through the coordinated effort of therapists and the behavioral and educational staff — who are all under one roof — Hardage said
2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR REGISTRATION FOR PRE-K
For more details:
http://www.lrsd.org/earlychildhood
We’re saving a seat for you! • FULL DAY SESSION • AGE-APPROPRIATE LEARNING ACTIVITIES • BREAKFAST, NUTRITIOUS SNACKS, AND LUNCH PROVIDED • CDC GUIDELINES ARE FOLLOWED If you have any questions please contact us at:
ECC@LRSD.ORG 501-447-7366 (English) or 501-447-7364 (Español)
the project prevent
Changing Gears! Arkansas students in grades K-3 can create artwork to change the way others think about tobacco and nicotine!
s n o i s s i m sub epted acc 3 y r a u n Ja - to 2 2 0 2 , 8 l i r p A
to learn more, visit projectpreventar.org and follow us on social media @projectpreventar.
youth coalition presents
Arkansas students in grades 4-6 can write an essay to change the way others think about tobacco and nicotine!
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THE BRIDGEWAY
21 Bridgeway Road, North Little Rock, AR 72113 Toll-Free (AR): 800-245-0011 thebridgeway.com
CARELINK
706 W Fourth St. North Little Rock, AR 72114 501-372-5300 info@carelink.org | carelink.org
CENTERS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES
Little Rock: 501-666-8686 Monticello: 870-460-0066 Toll-Free: 888-868-0023 centersforyouthandfamilies.net
MEDICAID
they are better able to serve students’ needs as a whole. That also means each student is able to work on her issues without feeling threatened, ostracized or bullied. Each client receives individual therapy and group therapy five days a week, as well as family therapy two times a month. All teachers are certified in special education with 10 or more years of experience. A psychiatrist and psychologist on staff address any medication needs. In mental health care, “no person is alike and no path is the same,” said Hardage, so they make an effort to tailor the program as best they can to each individual. As the clinical director for five years, Hardage has a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to keep this important program running smoothly. And she’s proud of the way they managed the shift to online services two years ago. She and her staff worked hard to make a seamless transition, dropping off assignments and art supplies door-to-door and pivoting to teletherapy. Typically the center serves up to 60 students at a time, pulled from different districts. They average 45 students, but have seen an uptick in numbers during the pandemic. Asked how she balances her role as a parent — Hardage is the mother of a 9-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl — with her often taxing professional life, she said, “You have to learn to spin with the tornado and not against it.” Regarding burnout, Hardage reflected, “You
just have to learn how to navigate, know when to set boundaries but know when enough is enough as well. We’re used to running on a cup that’s half empty, but we usually have a refill tank. Now our reserves are gone. We just give as much as we can.”
A SCHOOL COUNSELOR’S PERSPECTIVE
When we spoke to Kellie LaMonica, a school counselor at Oakbrooke Elementary in Sherwood, she had a bright, floral Zoom background that matched her sunny disposition — a good quality in a school counselor. She also had a pack of four dogs and an elementary schooler on a Nintendo Switch sequestered in the next room so she could talk to us with fewer distractions. LaMonica, however, is used to a little chaos. Before becoming a school counselor in the Pulaski County Special School District, she was a teacher in the Little Rock School District for almost a decade, which gives her a unique perspective on the day-today challenges teachers face in the classroom, especially today. Like teachers and counselors everywhere, LaMonica has witnessed an increase in anxiety and behavior issues among kids. “There was a huge uptick in stress,” she said. “Stress comes from a variety of things, not least of all the
Arkansas Department of Human Services Little Rock, AR 72203-1437 501-682-8292 Client assistance: 800-482-8988 humanservices.arkansas.gov
METHODIST FAMILY HEALTH 1600 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock, AR 72205 501-661-0720 info@methodistfamily.org methodistfamily.org
SNELL PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS
625 N. University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 501-664-2624 snellarkansas.com More locations throughout the state.
uncertainty. Virtual learning is essential to keep our babies safe, but it also creates a speed bump in their learning and routines. And we know kids thrive on routines. Our teachers have worked amazingly hard to keep routines in place, but some things are out of our hands.” She also pointed out that trauma three years ago looks different than trauma now; there’s just more of it, and it’s being experienced by a wider range of children.
“In elementary, they can’t always voice their grief, so it often comes out as misbehavior,” she said. “These kids have so much on their plates, and they just don’t know how to deal with it. So that’s our job as counselors, to give them a toolbox.” In addition to seeing a lot more stressed out kids, LaMonica is also seeing kids who are grieving the loss of a loved one due to COVID-19. According to NPR, more than 175,000 children in the United States have experienced the death of a parent or grandparent caregiver during the pandemic. “In elementary, they can’t always voice their grief, so it often comes out as misbehavior,” she said. “These kids have so much on their plates and they just don’t know how to deal with it. So that’s our job as counselors, to give them a toolbox.” Those tools can range from learning how to regulate their emotions to relearning social skills lost during virtual school. Lamonica said, “Due to social distance, our kids missed out on some fundamental, basic social skills, so we work really hard on those.” She also encourages them to find a trusted adult to talk to; to draw and write about their feelings; and to use self-soothing strategies when they’re agitated. “That can look like listening to music or asking the teacher for five minutes to cool off,” she explained. Even if they don’t always know how to articulate what’s going on internally, the kids LaMonica sees are typically open, forthcoming and receptive to help. At the time of our interview, she was connecting with kids online, which she believes has its own benefits. For one, going virtual offers a window into a child’s homelife. LaMonica reflected, “As a counselor I get a deeper look into kids’ lives. Sometimes a student who’s reluctant to talk will speak up.” Or a child will want to show her a pet, which establishes common ground and can start a larger conversation. When in-person, LaMonica visits classrooms and conducts small group sessions, but since she has more than 450 kids in her care, she can’t give all of them the attention they need. She can, however, refer them to the mental health professionals at the school. LaMonica also pointed out the strain the increase in mental health issues is putting on teachers. “Our teachers are having to be counselors,” she said. That, on top of the many responsibilities they already have. LaMonica acknowledged that though the pandemic has been rough, she has seen some growth in key areas like empathy, compassion and, more practically speaking, increased flexibility. “I don’t want them to grow this way, but I’ve really seen kids learn to put themselves in other people’s shoes. They’re watching out for each other.” She’s had students approach her concerned about a friend or classmate, asking if she can check on them. “There’s a real sense of community, of taking care of others — like kids wanting to raise money for someone’s sick family member.” They’ve also learned about bouncing back. “Our kids have been through so much, but they’re resilient.” With so many kids affected, LaMonica said she hopes to see mental health become destigmatized. When a child needs counseling, some parents feel that it’s some sort of failure on their part. She’s quick to reassure them, “Well, if your kid needed glasses or braces, would you feel like you failed? There’s no shame in it. It just means your kid needs an extra layer of support.” And these days, more kids than ever need just that.
INSPIRES MEET CRAIG: CYCLIST, ADVOCATE, AMBASSADOR “The mind is a very, very powerful thing, and with your mind, you can do anything.” read more about craig foster whitfield and how his life has changed since snell helped him reach his goals at snellarkansas.com
RESTORING MOBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE SINCE 1911
Little Rock n Bryant n Conway n Fayetteville n Fort Smith n 800-342-5541 Hot Springs n Mountain Home n North Little Rock n Pine Bluff n Russellville
SAVVY kids PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@ arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL
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