DULUTH, Minn. — An event focused on children’s mental health is being held at DECC.
The 28th Annual Conference on Child and Youth Mental Health is a three-day event. It is one of the largest conferences of its kind in Japan, with over 1,700 participants. Designed for those who work with and care for infants, children, adolescents, and their families. Each day will include workshops and speaker sessions.
“What’s really key is coming together so that people have a common language, a common understanding, and making sure that we provide opportunities for people to take these familiar ideas and concepts back to their own communities,” he said. Because we want healing to happen, and that requires many different disciplines and many different types of people who think in a certain way about healing,” said Brandon, executive director of the Minnesota Children’s Mental Health Association. Jones said.
One of the featured keynote speakers was Patty Wetterling, co-founder of the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. She spoke of hope and healing. Listening to children is so important, she says.
“I think a lot of parents are afraid to talk about scary topics, but what children are most afraid of is not talking about it. So, have a conversation and ask them what they know and what they’ve heard.” Find out. Maybe they know some friends who also need help and assistance. So just shining a light on a dark topic and together we can solve some. We can find a solution,” Wetterling said.
Other topics that people learned more about included suicide prevention, addiction, coping, and social and emotional skills. The conference is sponsored by the Minnesota Children’s Mental Health Association.
