U.S. surgeon general issues advisory on parental stress; Children’s Trust can help

The joys of raising children for parents and caregivers are numerous and everlasting. But so is the inevitable stress they will encounter along their parenting journey. Although that has always been the case, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says today’s parents have more to deal with than ever, and their stress levels are spiking accordingly.

Murthy explains that parents not only have to deal with the usual difficulties involving financial concerns, worrying about the health and safety of their kids and dealing with troublesome teenage years, but now there are a whole new set of challenges unique to this generation. In an Advisory on Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents titled “Parents Under Pressure,” the surgeon general pointed to new challenges facing parents and caregivers, including social media and technology, a youth mental health crisis, an epidemic of loneliness, a hyperintense culture of comparison, and other factors that have led parental stress to skyrocket across the county.

The surgeon general said that our society needs a fundamental shift in how it values and prioritizes parents’ well-being. To remedy the current situation, he prescribed numerous action items to get parents the help they need. Fortunately, in Miami-Dade County, The Children’s Trust has long recognized the fundamental correlation between parental well-being and that of our children. The Trust offers a multitude of programs, resources and initiatives geared to serving both parent and child and helping them prosper and develop.

According to the surgeon general, a good start toward easing parents’ overwhelming stress would be to ensure families have access to affordable child care. The Children’s Trust Thrive by 5 Early Childhood Development initiative focuses on increasing access and improving the quality of early childhood education programs. By offering support to working parents to access high-quality child care, salary incentives for early learning educators and support of quality child care centers in high poverty neighborhoods, The Trust helps give parents peace of mind that their children are being cared for, learning and developing as they should.

The Trust has invested in more than 320 programs in its early childhood quality improvement system, which has served more than 25,000 children over the last year. Parents can learn more and find a quality child care program at TheChildrensTrust.org/Thrive-by-5.

Another parental stressor pointed out by the surgeon general was the uncertainty of providing health care for our children. While the country grapples with ways to make health care accessible to all parents and children, The Trust invests in health clinics in about half of Miami-Dade’s public schools. In total, Trust funding for health clinics at elementary, K-8, middle and senior high schools (145 sites) serves more than 108,000 students by providing first aid care, medical assessments and physical, behavioral and mental health screenings, as well as follow-up behavioral health services when needed.

The Trust has already committed to expanding this initiative to provide health services in all public schools beginning in the 2025-26 school year. For many students, The Trust’s HealthConnect in Our Schools health clinics represent their only access to health care.

The Trust also invests in mobile health clinics, with pediatric care, vaccinations, dental and vision care made accessible to children and youth at no charge. Additionally, The Trust Health Benefits Enrollment initiative also helps parents enroll in Florida’s KidCare insurance programs and other health care-related public benefits programs.

The surgeon general’s advisory on parental stress concluded with a call to have the entire community rally around parents to provide support so that parents can put aside the shame and guilt that often keep parents asking for help. Here again, The Trust can help through its Parenting initiatives.

The Trust’s Parent Club workshops – which are all free and are available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole throughout the county or online – include sessions on child stress and are a good place to start for parenting information. The Parent Club also brings parents and caregivers together to share their stories, learn from one another and provide the support they all need. Parents can find a workshop and register for a session (which may include free child care) at TheChildrensTrust.org/Parent-Club.

The Trust also funds evidence-based group or individual parenting programs with a proven track record of success in achieving positive outcomes for parents/caregivers. Visit TheChildrensTrust.org/Parenting for more information on a program that is right for you.

With its support systems and dedication to the well-being of both parents and children, The Children’s Trust is taking meaningful steps to address the growing stress facing today’s families in Miami-Dade County. Aligned with the surgeon general’s recommendations, The Children’s Trust is committed to a future where parents and children have the resources they need to thrive, creating a healthier, stronger community for all.

Director of Programs Bevone Ritchie, M.S., oversees a wide range of parenting and family development programs across the county for The Children’s Trust. For more information, visit TheChildrensTrust.org.

This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 4:05 PM.