Past the Pandemic 9 News Feature

Department faculty members Mandy Doria, Leslie Choi, and Steve Berkowitz partnered on a recent edition of Past the Pandemic which received air time on 9 News. This edition focused on the personal experience of Colorado educators and school staff and how their mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. One Colorado school nurse, Erika Radcliff, used Past the Pandemic in light of school COVID-19 guidelines that impacted many facets of her mental health.Erika said Past the Pandemic was especially helpful through a difficult mental health period at the previous high-point for cases in the COVID-19 pandemic. She was grateful for the timeliness of the Past the Pandemic programming. Mandy Doria was interviewed as part of this story and mentioned her focus on providing connection among providers even though an online program.

Faculty Featured on Podcast

Dr. Emily Hemendinger was recently featured on an episode of “The OCD Stories” podcast. She spoke with podcast host Stuart Ralph, counselor and psychotherapist for children and young people in the UK, about cognitive flexibility, cognitive remediation therapy, working on perfectionism, social anxiety, social media and tips for the mindful use of it.The runtime of this podcast is approximately 50 minutes and you can listen for freeon Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play, or by clicking the button below.

LISTEN HERE

Psychiatry Faculty Collaborate on 5280 Article

Department of Psychiatry faculty members Jenna Glover, Celeste St. John-Larkin, Jessica Hawks, and Ayelet Talmi were featured in a 5280 article titled “How to Raise a More Resilient Kid.”

This extensive article includes a breakdown of recommendations for parents, by child age group, on working through tensions faced by children and their adults today. From organized sports to power struggles, and social media to sleeping habits, the expert contributions from our stellar faculty are helping parents in Colorado and nationwide tackle difficult and often confusing parenting situations.

READ HERE

Colorado Sun: Pandemic Stress in Teachers

Stories about teachers, students, and pandemic tensions are dominating news headlines and our daily lives. Recently, Assistant Professor Amy Lopez was quoted in The Colorado Sun regarding an uptick in calls to the support line featured in Past the Pandemic. She said that calls at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester had tripled compared to calls received during the summer.

Dr. Lopez also mentioned other resources for educators to protect and better their mental health, like conversations with social workers, and a self-paced video series in which educators can watch videos about depression, anxiety, burnout, and navigating change.

5280 Magazine: Why Colorado Kids Can Refuse Mental Health Treatment

Dr. Christ Thurstone was featured in a 5280 Magazine story titled “Why Colorado Teens Can Refuse Mental Health Treatment—Against Their Parents’ Wishes.” The 2019 Youth Mental Health Education and Suicide Prevention Act has impacted how child and adolescent psychiatrists treat their patients in Colorado. Part of this law lowered the age of consent in Colorado so that children as young as 12 can access mental health services, even in the event their parent or guardian disagrees with their pursuit of medical attention. Additionally, providers cannot release a minor patient’s diagnosis to parents or guardians unless their symptoms were indicative of causing harm to themselves or others, or if the patient gives their consent to release that information.

Under this new law, adolescent patients must be released after three days of a mental health hold if they are no longer exhibiting the psychiatric symptoms they presented with, which specifically include the expression of suicidal behavior, homicidal behavior, or grave disability caused by mental illness. While the law now prioritizes access to psychiatric care for minors, it also amplifies patient autonomy when it comes to leaving inpatient care. This can cause a disruption of care and premature discharge if a patient requires additional inpatient attention. Dr. Thurstone provided his experience treating young patients under this law and explained how it largely benefits minors but also impacts provider care. You can read the text of the law here.