National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Resource Library

Temescal Associates sponsored this webinar to explore the concerns being raised about youth mental health following their return to school and afterschool after the COVID shutdown. It features Dr. Gil Noam from Partnerships in Education and Resiliency (PEAR) and a panel with Eric Gurna, consultant and former President of LA's Best, and Diane Carrillo from ARC-Experience. With surveys indicating that 30 percent of youth need intervention, and the shortage of mental health clinicians, the panel explores the role out-of-school can play in supporting youth mental health through trauma-informed practice and in providing routine and structure, physical outlets, positive behavior management, and helping youth learn self-management through activities like yoga and mindfulness. This resource supports resiliency.

This series of reports by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics provides a compilation of national data on 41 key indicators for children ages 0-17. The statistics include measures on issues such as food insecurity, summer enrichment, housing instability, mental health and substance abuse, and child and adolescent  mortality.  The 2022 version highlights selected special feature indicators related to COVID-19 to address the impact of the pandemic on child and family well-being.  

This report from the Department of the Interior documents the history and impact of the Indian Boarding School Initiative. Between 1819-1969, U.S. operated or supported 408 boarding schools across 37 states in pursuit of a policy of cultural assimilation and to dispossess Indians of their territory. The Department has recognized that targeting Indian children contributed to the loss of the following: (1) life; (2) physical and mental health; (3) territories and wealth; (4) Tribal and family relations; and (5) use of Tribal languages. This policy also caused the erosion of Tribal religious and cultural practices. This report includes recommendations for further investigation and actions to recognize the intergenerational trauma and the need to support revitalization of Tribal languages and cultural practices and to help begin the healing process. There is a 5-page Executive Summary at the beginning of the report that can provide a reader with an overview of the initiative. This resource supports equity.

The Bipartisan Policy Center conducted an analysis of 184 of the Tribal Child Care Plans and other data to identify ways to better meet the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native children, both living on and off reservations. Recommendations from the review include using a data-driven method to determine funding needed, funding and technical assistance for mental health consultation, streamlining the Tribal CCDF plans, and strengthening culturally relevant curriculum. This resource supports equity.

This guide, by the Oregon Department of Education, offers an inspiring vision for summer learning in the post-pandemic world, prioritizing those most in need. It includes a focus on mental health and well-being and providing learning opportunities that can ignite and renew engagement, foster learning, and nourish in-person connections. It also includes information on state and federal funding streams.

This toolkit was designed as a learning resource to enhance opportunities to support mental and social-emotional health for children and adolescents in afterschool programs. It includes: (1) an overview of emotions and behaviors seen in youth; (2) definitions and descriptions of common mental disorders; (3) signs and symptoms of crisis in youth; and (4) resources for managing challenging behaviors and accessing supports.

On June 30, 2021 the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) facilitated the webinar, Supporting and Promoting Mental Health in Out-of-School Time.  During the webinar, NCASE introduced a new Voices from the Field brief which shares research and information on the current mental health needs of school-age children, their families, and the Out-of-School Time (OST) workforce.  Participants also learned about state and local initiatives that promote positive mental health and social and emotional development, and considered and shared practices and resources to meet the demand for mental health supports at different levels.

For this report, the Chicago teen program, After School Matters, partnered with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to conduct surveys to understand three key topics as they relate to the unique circumstances of summer 2020: (1) teen experiences, (2) instructor experiences, and (3) program quality. The report compares summer 2020 with previous years and looks ahead to inform future practices. The recommendations are to continue to support basic needs and mental health for teens and instructors, training on facilitating remote learning for instructors, and to focus on teen belonging to help buffer stress.  While these recommendations are for a teen program, the ideas are applicable to a younger afterschool population as well.  

This report provides an overview of different ways states can design contracts; it is based on a literature review and convening of 26 state administrators, researchers, and advocates. Contracts can bring stability that the field needs and provide more equitable supports around access, salaries, benefits, and professional development. The expert panel created a list of contract ideas such as shared services, bonuses and salary supplements, contracts for FCC providers, buying into state health insurance pools or retirement plans, substitute pools, mental health supports for staff and children, apprenticeship models, and scholarships for professional development. This resource supports the COVID-19 response and may help in planning for use of federal stimulus funds..

This practice brief explores some of the current mental health needs of school-age children, their families, and the OST workforce. In addition, this brief discusses the social and emotional constructs that promote resilience, as well as examples of mental health supports that states and local jurisdictions can consider for collaborative implementation.

Given evidence of trauma due to recent global and national issues, communities must consider all outlets and resources possible to address the needs of children and families. Out-of-school time (OST) programs foster socialization, relationships, and adaptive functioning. These programs are uniquely positioned to support and promote children’s healthy development, inclusive of mental health needs instigated by trauma. Children are not the only recipients; parents and the OST workforce can benefit from mental health supports provided directly or indirectly in these environments.