♪ good morning. this is "news 4 your sunday." >> welcome to "news 4 your sunday." i'm erika gonzalez in for pat lawson muse. nbc 4 is committed to furthering the dialogue on mental health. in fact, five years ago we started the initiative "changing minds" to take the stigma out of the subject. today we are talking specifically about children and their mental health. joining me is karen duffy, the division director of youth and family services at every mind and piper phillips caswell, president and ceo of phillips. ladies, thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. this is a delicate, it is a sensitive topic, mental health and specifically dealing with our children. before we dive into things, would you explain to our viewers a little bit

organizations and what you all do, the services to the community that you all provide? karen, would you like to start? >> sure. every mind is an organization that's been in montgomery county for about 60 years, and we provide community and school-based interventions in terms of mental health and social services. we provide education and advocacy on particular issues that affect the community. we run the 24-hour hotline, text and chat line in montgomery county. we have a veterans program, we have a seniors program. so we really try to provide services to folks across the life span. >> all right. piper? >> yes. phillips programs for children and families, we're celebrating our 50th anniversary, and we serve children and their families throughout the entire metro d.c. area, so well into maryland and virginia and the district as well. we do that through a couple of different programs. we have three school programs, non-public special

mental health issues in those programs. we also have what are called home-based services. >> okay. >> so a family where a child is -- there's some kind of a disruption and it could impact the family being able to stay intact. we have our workers who will go into the home and work with the family, build on their strengths and create the resiliency to keep that family intact. so that's another service that we provide. and then we have a big emphasis on career and tech education, and we are doing that through a couple of very innovative, creative programs. our latest is a culinary arts urban agriculture program. >> that's cool. >> a 3d design and print, and building trades where the kids are building houses. those are preparing them for all of the soft job skills that you need to be able to go out and work beyond school. >> so let's dive into what is kind of like this new

this new year that's upon us. we are trying to get back into a rhythm of things. we've had a couple of snow days, some cancellations and some delays, but barring that the kids have been home for a little bit over the break, enjoying time with parents. maybe during that time parents have noticed something different in their child, whether it is attitude or body language or how they're communicating, both, you know, through devices or just personal interaction or lack thereof. if kids are going back to school and parents have this something, like they're not the same, what should parents be -- i guess should it raise a red flag? what is just kids being kids? but we're dealing in a very different time and era now and i think everybody's antennas are a little more alert than they used to be. karen? >> i think it is important for families to go with their gut. if they see a change in their child that doesn't feel right, that doesn't seem right, then

on first of all. so i think a lot of times parents are reluctant to maybe not overreact or, you know, i don't want to see something that might not really be there. it is okay. if it doesn't feel right, then there's a chance that there's something not right. i also think it is really important that they talk about it. so often families are concerned, what if i ask them if they're worried about hurting themselves, is that going to plant the idea in their head. you know, research shows that that's not the case, that talking about things is so important with your student that if you don't do that, you don't let them know that it is okay to have the feelings that they're having and that there's somebody there who cares and is willing to listen and help them. >> piper, you want to chime in on this? >> yes. and i think absolutely you need to be having the discussions and that's how you're going to get a sense, you know, is something going on, is there something that's bothering you. talking with the schools, with the guidance counsellor, with th

if there's something going on there and, you know, one of the great ways is being the driver and the kids are in the back seat and they're talking and oblivious to the fact that you're there. >> you're listening. >> you need to be listening to what is going on and talking i think with other parents as well to assess, you know, is there something that i need to be concerned. >> all right. hang with me. we have so much more to get to after the break here on "news 4 your sunday." we are talking specifically about our children and their mental health in this new year. stay with us when "news 4 your sunday" continues right after this. ♪

iand i like these award-winning cheddar puffs. first place. both events? booyah! we're an awards family. you'll like them both but love our price. award-winning organic cheddar puffs from aldi. simply smarter shopping. before we start, i just want to say if anyone still doesn't have fios, please stay out of the way so your lag doesn't get us all killed, ben. what's so good about fios anyway?

twork that makes your gaming system actually work awesomely? hey. did you take out the trash? haha, garbage boy! dad, i already took out ben. it's not funny. gaming is best on a 100% fiber-optic network. so get fios. now, just $79.99 per month with a 2-year price guarantee with a 2-year agreement. welcome back to "news 4 your sunday" at nbc 4. we are committed to changing minds, and on this sunday we are talking specifically about the mental health of our children. i am join by karen duffy of every mind and piper phillips cal

thank you both, ladies, for joining us. we were talking about noticing some changes in our children now that we've had this break, over the holidays and kids are getting back in school and we're trying to get back in the rhythm of things. would you call these behavior issues or differences in our children's moods that we have noticed over this break that should raise a flag for us that there is something we need to discuss here or perhaps some guidance in an area that we may not know about? >> i think one of the most important pieces is knowing your child at baseline. >> okay. >> what is normal behavior for your child? then when you start to see things that are very different in them, other children may already behave that way and that's okay. but if it is new behavior for your child, it is a red flag. we are looking at things like changes in appetite, changes in sleep patterns, maybe not engaging in activities that previously, you know, they

them away from doing those things. they stopped doing them, they're not interested. maybe interactions with friends and family members, they're isolating more, spending more time on their social media or on the computer, and just sort of not interacting with the rest of the world. i think those are first and foremost the signs you would see, assuming those things are, in fact, different for your child. >> piper, would you say there's anything in particular? i guess is there a difference between, you know, outward signs for children as opposed to adults when we're dealing with and talking about mental health issues? is there a difference between the two? >> well, i think you can also see more significant kinds of indicators, and it kind of depends where your child fits on the whole spectrum of childhood development and what they're manifesting. what we may often see and what will bring some students to our programs are school

running away. >> okay. >> substance use. all of these pretty serious kinds of behaviors that are going to impact that child and do need to be addressed. so looking for that, being cognizant of what is it that your child is doing, where are they going, who are they with, what are they like when they come back, you know, those are sometimes considered coping mechanisms that there's really something very serious underlying. we're not necessarily -- i think we are both talking about children who are already potentially receiving some level of services and others who may not yet as well. so it is such a large topic to -- >> let me ask you, let me see if we can pinpoint this. from the services that you all are providing to our community, to the children in our community, is there

of? does this target a particular, you know, age bracket? is it middle schoolers, is it high schoolers or are we seeing young children battling tough issues? >> from our perspective, absolutely. a lot of the work that we were originally doing was prevention and early intervention type work. now we realize a lot of the kids that are coming to us are younger and younger and having more and more. >> what is younger and younger? >> we are working with second and third graders with significant trauma background, and it is coming out in their behavior and at home. i think what most parents are worried about is as their child reaches middle school and high school and hit adolescence, what is normal at that age. there are so many other factors coming into play at that age, is it a

a behavioral issue, is it just going through adolescence. i think that's why parents are reluctant to follow through because they don't know how to differentiate between what is what. >> right. and society is so different now, school is very different now from when i went to school and when our parents went to school. we are dealing with things and talking about things thai don't know if they weren't talked about as much or that they weren't as prevalent as they are now. a lot has to do with social media, and that is a topic we will dive into right after this break. stay with us, with much more for "news 4 your sunday" coming up. ♪

welcome back to "news 4 your sunday." now we are talking about a topic that is present in all of our lives, social media. useful tool, but it can also be detrimental for a lot of different reasons. we're going to talk

with our mental health, specifically for our children. it is so easy now, especially at school kids are now really all computer-based. almost every kid i see has a phone, so that means they've got a facebook or they've got a snapchat or an instagram and/or probably all of them. piper, let me ask you, in the services that you all provide how prevalent is social media in the discussions that you're having with these children? >> right. well, it certainly is. however, we have a practice that the students are unable to have access to their phones during the school day. it is not something that they're really able to navigate and negotiate. they need a lot of assistance with that. so it is not prevalent in the school buildings. however, things happen outside of school. >> right. >> and they get carried in as a result of social media. we have

ratio in terms of counsellor and staff with our students who address these kinds of ongoing issues with the social media in terms of how do you communicate, how do you not get something to just kind of go further and further and escalate. >> do you think that children -- karen, you can chime in on this. do you think that children that you all are seeing, the topic of causing self-harm, how does that idea get planted? is that something that they are seeing on social media and mimicking? it is not uncommon, we've reported on it, things that you find on youtube, on snapchat, is it because they're seeing it there and carrying it into their own personal lives or what is the influence there? >> i think a large part of it is

cutting and doing other kinds of self-harm, there's a sense of relief there. they do this because it relieves some sort of inner struggle that they're facing. so they do it, they feel better, and then they get on to social media and sort of share, wow, i'm feeling better and this has happened. >> they're sharing these experiences, not that they're hiding? >> no. >> not a lot of students hide it shockingly enough. i would think that they would want to, but i think somehow it becomes a more effective way to release your stress, a more acceptable way. so the students are sharing that this is happening. >> it is accepted amongst their peers and they're getting this instant gratification through likes and shares and mentions and so forth. >> well, because of the

like it normalizes it. gee, they're doing it and she's doing it and he's doing it, so why not? maybe that will help me feel better. i think you see some copy cat kind of behaviors. >> from an expert's opinion, is that a different conversation parents need to have with their children and some restrictions and parameters that need to be placed on phones, on the use of social media to perhaps not go further and further down the rabbit hole in having these in-depth discussions about mental health and serious issues like cutting and suicide? >> right, exactly. yes, there should be restrictions on it. but what you do want to do then is turn it around and have -- use that as an opening to have a conversation with your child or with your student. how does it make you feel when you see this? what is your reaction to it? >> all right. >> what do youhi

done about it, and get it out in the open, not kind of keep it quiet. >> okay. i think one of the programs that i oversee is learning, and while that program is designed to provide intervention in the school system, we also do a lot of parent education. you know, i felt really great when i learned how to do facebook, right. now the kids can are moving on to all sorts of things that i can't figure out. i think it is important for parents to realize that that needs to be an open conversation. >> right. >> an open dialogue with your student. it is okay to say, i want to see what you're doing online. i want to have control over that. i want us to have conversations about it. >> sure. >> and if you start your student with that expectation -- >> right, as the expectation. >> exactly. then i think you have a much better chance of intervening when the time comes. >> all right. and it may

perhaps there's a time where the environment is no longer conducive to the student's learning and to their mental health, to their wellness, and we're going to talk about coming up next on "news 4 your sunday" what happens when you start talking about changing schools. stay with us for that. ♪

z2l2xz z16fz

y2l2xy y16fy welcome back to "news 4 your sunday." we are talking about our children's mental health and we hope it doesn't get to this, but there may be a point where as a parent you say, you know what, this school is no longer conducive to my child's learning, the friends that he or she is around, you know, no longer good for them to associate with and i have to start looking at possibly some other schools to send my children to. piper, this is an area that phillips specializes in, so talk to me about some alternatives for parents to consider. >> right. well, it is a fairly complex process because if you are looking for a student that has

special education needs, then you need to go through your public school and there's a whole process. you can get help with that through them and through the parent information and training center, the pt offices throughout the country. it is important that you are looking at really what is it in terms of the health and wellness that schools are going to be offering your child when you are looking. so there are lots of schools in this area, tons of them. they have open houses. you need to get out and visit them. you need to network with parents and talk with them. just because it is the right program for their child doesn't mean it is the right one for yours. if you feel like you need help, there are educational consultants who make this their business, and it is important that they get the placements correct. so they're a good source as well. but looking at

programs provide the kinds of supports and instill environments that are going to be conducive to what that particular student's needs are. maybe they have a lot of anxiety. >> right. >> so how is that addressed in that program? >> so it is good as a parent to go with like a list of, this is where i think my child really needs some extra support and does that match up with what this school offers. >> right. >> are they compatible there? >> right, yes. >> okay. karen, you talked about the hotline services that your organization provides in montgomery county. i want to make sure we have that information for our viewers, phone, text. it is not just for the parents, but it is also for the students. this is a wonderful service that you guys provide. talk to us about that. >> absolutely. it is 24/7/365 there's always someone on the other end of the line to provide supportive listening, resources, information.

support. we can do that. we can provide resources and information and referral for families in need. it is really designed to be a space where people can call or text or go online and chat, whatever is most comfortable for them, and get the help that they need. >> and there's not a time frame limit on that? the operations aren't from this hour to this however, it is whatever? >> exactly. >> that's incredible. is that service only for montgomery county residents only? >> it is not. it is a 301 number but there's also an 800 number as well, so it is not tied to a specific area. we try to maintain a database of resources that are applicable. >> do we have that number? can we put that up? we will try to get some of that information online. i'm happy to share that as well. what do you think, are you hearing more from the students that are reaching out to you guys through text, through phones, or is itth

>> what we have found, what our data shows is that students are making use of the text line, which doesn't surprise any of us i'm sure. >> no, which is great. they're using it, that's wonderful. >> absolutely. it is interesting to see the times of days they're texting with us the most. it is during their lunch time at school. >> really? >> right after school, at the end of the day when they're going home. maybe something happened that they're upset about. it is interesting to look at the data and make sure we're providing enough resources for students when they need us the most. >> we talked about this initially as parents. if you are feeling some hesitation in how to approach that conversation, that there's somebody on the opposite side of this line that is totally comfortable with handling the tough questions. karen duffy and piper phillips caswell, thank you both for joining us on this edition of "news 4 your sunday." we'll see you next time. ♪

♪

before we start, i just want to say if anyone still doesn't have fios, please stay out of the way so your lag doesn't get us all killed, ben. what's so good about fios anyway?

twork that makes your gaming system actually work awesomely? hey. did you take out the trash? haha, garbage boy! dad, i already took out ben. it's not funny. gaming is best on a 100% fiber-optic network. so get fios. now, just $79.99 per month with a 2-year price guarantee with a 2-year agreement.

>> announcer: "news4 today" starts now. 6:00 on the dot on this sunday morning. and right now on "news4 today," freezing cold temperatures caused chaos at howard university. ruptured pipes, heating issues, and now classes delayed for days. and hitting restart on 2018. president trump heads to camp david to set his agenda but still dodged by concerns over his fitness for office. and bundle up, and then up and up and up and up, and then put another layer on and then bundle up again, because freezing-cold temperatures, winter weather plaguing our area and the rest of the country. maybe you heard about it. >> yeah. >> it's a little bit cold outside. >> just a