Children’s Mental Health Matters! month in May highlights the importance of children’s mental health and the positive supports that are essential to their healthy development. Mental health encompasses emotional, behavioral and psychological well-being and impacts how children feel about themselves, relate to others, and handle change and the stress of daily life. Join the Office of Children and Families for community events and workshops this month to learn more.
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"Thank you so much for offering such well-organized programs! I have learned a lot from OCF's parent workshops and my girls are enjoying the materials provided for them." - Ingrid B.
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May 2023 Parent Workshops
View the full descriptions of the May workshops online.
Navigate your child’s mental health journey
May 8, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual Workshop / Register
Learn about the stages of mental health and local resources, serves and supports to help your child.
Help children be proud of who they are!
May 9, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual Workshop / Register
Gender identity is complicated and often misunderstood. Join us to gain an understanding of gender identity development from infancy to age five.
May 17, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual Workshop / Register
Emotional intelligence fosters good listening and problem-solving skills and helps children learn to accept criticism and develop empathy. Get the tools to support your child’s social-emotional development. Learn more.
Discuss your child’s mental health with your primary care provider (PCP)
May 18, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual Workshop / Register
Dr. Jessica Winkles will discuss the importance of treating a child's behavioral health and physical health. Review typical vs. concerning behaviors and how your PCP can be a great resource when questions arise.
Eat, learn, grow for families – Early learning literacy in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
May 24, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual Workshop / Register Young children have a natural curiosity about the world around them; STEM encourages them to explore their environment. This workshop highlights STEM-focused children’s literature and creative daily activities.
Nothing I do works: A parent’s guide to challenging behaviors
May 31, 6:30 to 8 p.m. / 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia 21046 / In person workshop / Register
Using the Pyramid Model to consider factors which influence a child's behavior and impact the family, learn how to decrease negative behaviors and what to do if they occur. For parents of children age two to eight.
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Chalk up some positive vibes in your neighborhood to help spread awareness about Children’s Mental Health Matters Month in May. Spend time outside with your kids creating colorful chalk drawings or writing inspirational messages on your sidewalk or driveway. Be sure to take a photo of your artwork and send it to us at [email protected] so we can share it on our Facebook page. Show the community you care about and support children’s mental health through your creative designs!
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Is your child ready for kindergarten?
Kindergarten starts August 28 for children who turn five by September 1. If you haven’t already, register your child now so that the school can plan accordingly. To learn about the process, view the HCPSS registration information. If you need bus transportation, you must complete the bus service registration in HCPSS Connect by June 1. Find more tips to help your child be ready for the first day of school, in the May issue of the Kindergarten Readiness newsletter.
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How to build a sense of resilience in your child
Childhood can be a playful and fun time, but it isn’t always as carefree as adults tend to think. Children can, and do, experience emotional upset, challenges and trauma as well. As the adult in their lives, you can help prepare them for difficult times by building resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity. Here are some tips to build your child’s resilience and deal with life’s challenges:
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Help your child help others – helping others with age-appropriate tasks can empower children to feel confident and competent in their abilities.
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Maintain a daily routine – routines are comforting to children and provide structure to their day. If you need to change your routine on a given day, tell your child as soon as possible and keep reminding them of the new schedule.
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Teach self-care – if your child has time to relax and have fun, they will feel more balanced and be able to deal with stressful times more easily
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Practice gratitude – encourage your child to identify something they are grateful for or something positive that happened each day
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Build connection – block out a few minutes each day to truly connect with your child and show them you are there for them. This will help them feel comfortable coming to you when problems arise.
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Mental Health community resources for all ages |
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Being human is complicated. Showing up for each other makes a big difference.
Howard County residents have access to many forms of emotional support, online and in person. Take the first step to reach out and connect to someone who will listen, offer support and help you navigate mental challenges. Working together with community partners like the Horizon Foundation, the Office of the Local Children's Board (OLCB) and others, our efforts can make a difference.
Be an emotional support human
Emotional support humans show a willingness to reach out and listen compassionately to loved ones living with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.
Join this growing movement and learn how to ask questions about mental health. Show up as an emotional support human for the people you care about. Learn how from the Horizon Foundation.
National Mental Health Crisis Helpline: 988
Whenever you call this number, whether in Howard County or anywhere in the nation, you are guaranteed quality and safe care for mental health and substance use emergencies. No need to look up a national or local emergency number. Call or text 988 and you will get free, immediate, and confidential help from a trained counselor.
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Howard County Youth Behavioral Health Road Map
To determine where your child is on the road to health and well-being, Howard County's OLCB created the Youth Behavioral Health Road Map. Available in English and Spanish, it enables families, health practitioners, school-based professionals, service providers and others to better navigate youth behavioral health supports in Howard County.
Mental Health resources for military families
The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) military child well-being toolkit provides social-emotional supports and resources for parents, educators, school counselors, administrators and other professionals who work with military-connected youth. The toolkit fosters the emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and overall well-being of military children, and also aims to support students of military families living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other injuries.
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Social media guide for parents
Howard County Health Department
May 9 (age 3-8) / May 10 (age 9-12) / May 11 (age 13-17) / 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The pervasiveness of social media in the lives of today’s youth can be a cause of concern for parents who want to regulate their child’s use and keep them safe online. These online workshops address the mental health implications of social media use, personal safety and privacy, and provide tips to help your child establish a positive digital footprint.
For more resources about online data use and privacy, check out:
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The Basics helps children learn to count, group and compare nature's bounty
While May flowers are in full bloom, encourage your children to incorporate counting as they explore nature's beauty. Grab a basket and take your child for a walk to find and pick different flowers from your garden or an open field. Be sure they pick more than one of each. When you get back home, sit down and take out the flowers you found together. First, count them, then group them and compare. Ask your child questions like, “What color is this flower?" or "How many flowers are in this group?” This is a great way to boost early math skills. For more ideas sent right to your phone, sign up to receive free Basics Insights text messages.
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ADDitude podcasts for emotional outbursts
ADHD can trigger a flood of strong emotions. When our thinking brain goes offline and emotions — whether anger, fear, hurt, or disappointment — rule the day, we may say or do things we later regret. These podcasts use cognitive behavioral therapy tools, internal family systems, brain science and mindfulness to handle triggers, make intentional choices about words and actions, recover from blow-ups, and make meaningful amends.
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Help for parents dealing with the impact of substance abuse
Parent CRAFT is a free, self-paced online video course that teaches parents, caregivers, and others how to use solution-focused, practical skills and techniques to address the risks of substance use in children and youth. This resource is available to all Maryland parents and caregivers through Maryland Family and Youth Interventions for Substance Use. Register
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Howard County's new Family Support Center to open this summer
Construction of the County's Family Support Center (FSC)* is underway, and, weather permitting, will open in August. The FSC is designed to assist parents and caregivers by offering free comprehensive, family-centered, community-based preventive programs for children from birth to age five. To learn more, contact OCF at 410-313-1940 or [email protected].
*A Family Support Center is not a child care center.
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