The Children's Cabinet - September 2024 Newsletter

September 2024

Welcoming September

September arrived before we knew it! I am looking forward to cooler fall temperatures and the excitement for the upcoming holiday season. Read on to learn about fun holiday events and programs that are on the horizon.

We are thrilled to announce that the 26th Annual Art of Childhood, held on August 16th at Rancharrah, was a tremendous success! We heard an impactful story from one of our clients, recognized Cindy L. Carano for her dedication to philanthropy and community service, and shared good times with familiar faces. We are very grateful for the outpouring of support we received for this event from individuals, businesses, volunteers, and partners who share our mission to keep children safe and families together. Thanks to you all, we raised more funds than ever before to help fund our free Family Counseling program. Thank you!

September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Engaging in conversations and efforts around mental health is crucial for all of us. Suicide is preventable, and open dialogue helps break down the stigma. This September and beyond, let's make a commitment to check in on each other, share resources, and support those who may be struggling. Below, please find some of the mental health resources available at The Children's Cabinet:

Free Family Counseling: Our sessions are available at no cost to families and youth in need of counseling support. Families meet with their therapist to develop a treatment plan to address concerns and improve family communication and functioning.
SOS Program: The Children's Cabinet offers suicide prevention screenings in all Washoe County School District Middle Schools, and upon request from other schools. Through a guided DVD and discussion, students learn how to identify the symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts in themselves or their friends and encourage help-seeking through the use of the ACT technique (Acknowledge, Care, Tell).
Safe Place: Our Safe Place helpline and network of walk-up sites provide Washoe County teenagers with a safety net to deal with a dangerous or threatening situation they are not prepared to deal with on their own. Youth can call 1-800-536-4588 any time, 24/7, to receive help from a Children's Cabinet case manager.
Wraparound Support: Wraparound support is offered to every child and family who contacts the Children's Cabinet. This support involves meeting with a case manager to assess the family and youth's unmet needs. From there, families will work with their case manager to create family-centered goals and determine how much week-to-week support they want to have.
Youth Mental Health First Aid: These classes are designed to teach parents, mentors, teachers, coaches, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help adolescents (age 12-18) who are experiencing mental health, addiction, or are in crisis. Anyone interested can sign up for a one-day training session.
Connect With Your Teen: In just one hour, the Connect with Your Teen Workshops teach parents how to talk to their teens more effectively, how to recognize their teen’s current skillsets and talents, how to boost and improve mental health, strategies that can help a teen’s mindset and ways to grow their teen’s connections and achievements. Parents are equipped with concrete strategies for engaging differently with their children on a daily basis based on the concept of Living Ideation.

As always, we are here to support children and families. Please contact us if you need assistance, or you need help finding resources. If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, please dial 988 to access the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

One final thank you to our incredible supporters - you make our mission possible, to keep children safe and families together.

Thank you!

Kim Young

Chief Executive Officer

Join Us at the 3rd Annual Washoe County Youth Mental Health Summit!

Connect Washoe County invites you to a day of education and connection at the 3rd Annual Washoe County Youth Mental Health Summit. This full day is designed to bring mental health providers and caring adults together surrounding the importance of youth mental health.

Speakers and Topics Include

Opening Remarks from Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Hear from WCSD Superintendent Joe Ernst
Child and Brain Development, Natalie Sanchez & Youth Panel
Sports, Athletics and Mental Health & Youth Panel
Digital Wellness, Dr. Samuel Ehrenreich & Youth Panel
Developing the Mental Health Professional Pipeline, Dr. Takesha Cooper
Update on West Hills Hospital, Ryan Gustafson, Director Washoe County Human Services Agency
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) Updated, Kristen Clements-Nolle, Ph.D., MPH
WCSD/Children's Cabinet Signs of Suicide Partnership and 2024 Data Update
Nevada State Office of Suicide Prevention Toolkit for School Districts

Facilitated by Connie Wray

We believe that a strong community can play a pivotal role in supporting our youth's mental health journey. By attending this summit, you'll gain valuable insights, connect with like-minded individuals, and contribute to the overall well-being of our community's young minds.

Youth Mental Health Summit Event Details

Date: Tuesday, September 17th

Time: 9 am - 3 pm

Location: Grace Church, 1220 Robb Dr. Reno, NV 89523

NEW THIS YEAR

Community Resource Fair: The Youth Mental Health Summit will be followed by a community resource fair from 3:30 - 6 pm. Learn from over 30 youth-serving agencies from northern Nevada and hear key-note presentations by Samuel Ehrenreich, Ph.D. and Natalie Sanchez, MS, MFT. Registration is not required.

Registration Information:

We only have a few tickets left for the Youth Mental Health Summit! Get your tickets here before they sell out. This is a free event. Registration for the Community Resource Fair is not required.

We look forward to welcoming you to this important event. Let's come together to create a brighter and healthier future for our youth.

Halloween at The Children's Cabinet

Mark your calendars for October 30th!

Join us for an evening of family fun at the Wilbur D. May Youth Center for Halloween at The Children's Cabinet!

The evening will include activities for children of all ages including a trunk-or-treat, interactive games, arts and crafts and more. Costumes are encouraged!

Want to help us give children in the community a Halloween they will never forget? Sign up to volunteer, decorate your vehicle for trunk-or-treat, or host an activity/game/craft table. We are also taking donations of candy at our Sinclair location.

Wednesday, October 30th

3pm - 6pm

777 Sinclair St, Reno, NV 89501

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is an opportunity for everyone to gain a deeper understanding of this critical health issue. Help make a positive impact on children's health by spreading the word about effective strategies for preventing childhood obesity.

Obesity Prevention Goals:

Nutrition: It is important to eat five or more fruits and vegetables per day, and zero sugary beverages.
Physical Activity: Kids need a minimum of one hour of moderate-intensity physical activity every day.
Sleep: Kids need nine to twelve hours of sleep per night. Less than this can lead to harmful weight gain.
Screen Time: Keeps recreational screen time limited to less than two hours per day.

Adopt A Family

The Children's Cabinet's Adopt A Family Holiday Program serves our clients throughout Nevada experiencing the greatest financial hardship. Help us bring holiday cheer to local families!

How You Can Help

Decide what size family you would like to provide gifts for.
You will receive information about your family, including first names, ages, gender and detailed wish lists.
Go shopping and have fun!
Wrap your gifts and label each one (including gift cards) with the family number and each individual's name.
Gifts can be dropped off at our Rock office (1090 S. Rock Blvd.) during set days and times that can be found on our website.
Click the button below to learn more or sign up to Adopt A Family.

For more information, please email family@childrenscabinet.org.

Adopt A Family

Are you a Children's Cabinet client seeking help for the holidays? Please contact your Case Manager for information on Adopt A Family.

Special Thanks to our Art of Childhood Partners & Donors!

Revisit the evening in photos. Browse our photo album here and tag us in your photos on social media!

Did you miss the fun but still want to support The Children's Cabinet? Donate today!

Donate!

Our Mission

Since 1985, The Children's Cabinet's mission has been to keep children safe and families together by providing services and resources that address unmet needs through a unique and effective cooperative effort between the private sector and public agencies in Nevada.

Learn More