Our Brains Are Wired for

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

2022 Annual Report

 TABLE of CONTENTS

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Well-Being Trends & Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 – 6

Wisconsin Child Well-Being Indicators Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 – 9

Social Connectedness is Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 – 13

Mental Health Lived Experience is Everywhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 – 15

Responding to the Need / OCMH Accomplishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 – 17

Partnerships & Collective Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

References / Expanding Connections via Social Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Please see the Annual Report State Department Partnerships Supplement on our website for a recap of
2022 highlights related to children’s mental health from the Wisconsin Departments of Health Services,
Children and Families, Corrections, and Public Instruction.

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH (OCMH)

Values
OCMH FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS
• Collaborative across systems
• Data driven COLLAB
• Family and youth guided ORATION
Bring together people from different sectors with a
• Promote inclusivity and equity commitment to the common agenda of improving
among all stakeholders children’s mental health.

Vision LIVED Ensure those who are impacted by children’s mental

Wisconsin’s children are safe, nurtured, EXPERIENCE health most directly are authentically and equitably
engaged in our work.
and supported to achieve their optimal
mental health and well-being. Systems
are family-friendly, easy to navigate, Identify and examine the most critical issues facing
equitable, and inclusive of all people. youth mental health, centering equity in our work.
RESEARCH
AND DATA
Staff
Identify, amplify, and seize opportunities for
• Linda Hall, Director systems change that advance our vision and values.
• Karen Katz, Operations Lead
• Amy Marsman, Senior Research Analyst
SYSTEMS
• Andrea Turtenwald, Family Relations CHANGE
Coordinator

2 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Youth, parents, educators, and health professionals

all tell us 2022 has been a challenging year.

The effects of the pandemic continued to weigh heavily on On the brighter side, the number of school-based mental
everyone. Children returning to in-person school faced the health professionals is up and investments of federal
challenges of how to act in the classroom, how to be with pandemic funds are offering opportunities for school
peers, fill learning gaps, and manage the big feelings they mental health expansions, which is where 75% of youth
were having because of these challenges and everything in treatment receive their mental health care. Educators
they and their families have been through. welcomed these funds to address the mental health
concerns of their students, but caution that mental health
Throughout the year, OCMH focused on responding to these
funding must be ongoing to be effective, and to address all
messages, to what the data is saying about children’s
the students' needs.
well-being, and our commitment to increasing the Social
Connectedness of Youth, which addresses many of the The OCMH Team and its network of partners are always
current and pre-pandemic challenges to children’s looking for What We Can Do to improve youth mental health.
mental health. Our OCMH Accomplishments (pgs. 16-17) identify many
of the resources we offered for parents and others. Our
While pursuing this agenda, we learned even more about
expanded social media presence (pg. 19) was augmented
the long-lasting impact of social connections and their
by youth artwork (pg. 14). Increasing social media
power to reduce emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, and
messaging, elevating youth leadership, leaning into two-
physical violence victimization (pg. 10). In addition, a social
generation approaches, and disseminating best practices
network beyond family and healthy relationships with
on social connectedness are among the strategies we plan
peers lead to better well-being, because Our Brains Are
to focus on in 2023. Like this year, connecting with and
Wired for Social Connections (pg. 20).
improving the mental health and well-being of Wisconsin's
As in previous years, this report presents available data on children will be at the heart of our work.
youth mental health. We, like the U.S. Surgeon General in his
declaration of a national youth mental health crisis issued
December 2021, note that the crisis started well before the
pandemic and a critical response to it is addressing the Linda A. Hall
economic security and social barriers that contribute to Director, Wisconsin Office of Children’s
poor mental health for young people and families. Mental Health
A few of the most concerning data to report this year are:
• Anxiety, depression, and suicide reports are up again,
with the percent of students feeling sad and hopeless
almost every day jumping to nearly 34%, a 10
percentage point increase over the last ten years.
Kids who are connected and feel they belong have
• Youths' sense of belonging at school continues to drop,
better mental health, better academic outcomes,
especially among Hispanic students, half (49%) of
and engage in fewer risky behaviors (pg. 10).
whom do not feel they belong at their school.
• Nearly half of LGBT youth (48%) in Wisconsin seriously
considered suicide.

children.wi.gov 3
 WELL-BEING TRENDS & DEMOGRAPHICS
HOW W I S CONSIN’ S YOU TH A RE FEELING AND C O NNECTI NG

In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare public health
advisory on youth mental health. The advisory, Protecting Youth Mental Health,
was an urgent call to action on youth mental health and reflected the dire
needs of the nation’s children. The national data in the advisory mirrors what
is happening in Wisconsin: alarming rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm,

!
and suicidal ideation with limited means to access mental health care.

How are Wisconsin Kids Doing? WISCONSIN YOUTH’S DECLINING

MENTAL HEALTH
In the most recent data on Wisconsin high schoolers, 22% reported self-
harm; 25% of females seriously considered attempting suicide; 34% felt
Reported
sad or hopeless nearly every day; and 52% reported anxiety.1 52% Anxiety
The Surgeon General’s first recommendation to states was to address the
economic and social barriers that contribute to poor mental health. Children
Sad or Hopeless
who live in low-income families and those experiencing poverty encounter 34% Every Day
far more stress than children who live in higher-income households.
Poverty, which often includes unstable housing, food insecurity, and unsafe
neighborhoods, has consistently been linked with poor health outcomes and Seriously Considered
25% Suicide (Females)
increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes.

Among Wisconsin’s 1.2 million children, at least one in 10 lives in poverty, and
one in three is on Medicaid.2 In all the data on youth mental health, we see Reported
22% Self-Harm
large disparities based on race, income, and sexual orientation.

While lifting kids out of poverty is primary to improving overall health,

youth mental health also relies on children being socially connected.

How are Wisconsin Kids Connecting to Care?

• County level data reveal a number of shortages in mental health
professionals throughout the state. The recommended YOUTH TO RECOMMENDED WI
PROFESSIONALS RATIOS RATIO RATIO
professional to patient ratio is 250:1. In Wisconsin, the ratio is 440:1.3

• Of kids who receive mental health treatment, it is estimated that Community-based

mental health
75% of the time they receive care at school. Wisconsin schools professional 250:1 440:1
also have a shortage of school-based mental health professionals.4
School-based
• Accessing care – whether in the community, virtually through professional:
telehealth, or at school – depends on the financial ability to pay for school social worker 400:1 1,136:1
treatment, transportation and/or reliable internet access, and the
School-based
ability of both parent and child to leave their job or school for professional:
appointments. These are often insurmountable barriers for low- school psychologist 500:1 826:1
income, rural, or single-parent families.

4 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 WELL-BEING TRENDS & DEMOGRAPHICS
(C O NTIN UE D)

Are Wisconsin Kids Connecting with Healthy Relationships?

• Kids connected with their parents during the pandemic, with
45% saying they are closer to their parents than before the
pandemic.5 PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
WHO HAVE ADULTS THEY CAN TALK TO
• 82% of Wisconsin high schoolers have an adult, besides their
ADULT OTHER THAN PARENT ADULT AT SCHOOL
parents, whom they feel comfortable seeking help from. 67%
of high schoolers have an adult at school they can talk to.
In both cases, there are noticeable differences by race. Kids of
color do not feel as connected to adults as white students do.

• Just one accepting adult in the life of an LGBTQ youth can

reduce their risk of suicide attempt by 40%.6

• Research shows that adolescents with healthy teen

friendships have better physical and mental health long into ASIAN BLACK HISPANIC MULTIRACIAL WHITE

adulthood.7 Given the isolation and stress of the pandemic,

youth need to be supported as they rebuild healthy
relationships with their peers.

• Teens are not very likely to turn to their adult family members
to discuss their feelings. Less than a quarter (23.6%) of those PERCENT WHO WOULD TALK WITH
ADULT FAMILY MEMBER ABOUT FEELINGS
who report feeling sad, empty, hopeless, angry, or anxious
Among those who felt sad, empty,
would talk with an adult family member about their feelings.
hopeless, angry, or anxious

Fostering healthy relationships requires social-

emotional skills and knowledge; these positive
practices lead to improved mental wellness. ASIAN BLACK HISPANIC MULTIRACIAL WHITE

IRON
RUSK 810:1
Wisconsin’s Mental Health 1,750:1 FLORENCE
Provider to Person Ratios8 4,300:1
(Recommended ratio is 250:1)
EAU
Five counties with less than 10
CLAIRE
280:1
providers for the entire county. BROWN
PEPIN 450:1
Five metro areas’ mental 7,290:1
WINNEBAGO
health provider ratios. BUFFALO 310:1
13,030:1
MILWAUKEE
DANE 310:1
250:1

children.wi.gov 5
 WELL-BEING TRENDS & DEMOGRAPHICS
( CO N TI N UED )

Are Wisconsin Kids Connecting to School?

PERCENT OF WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
SCHOOL BELONGING9 WHO FEEL THEY BELONG AT SCHOOL, 2013-2021
• School belonging is on the decline in Wisconsin. High
school students are feeling less connected now than
a decade ago. 40% of high school students
in Wisconsin feel they do not belong at school.

• There are noticeable disparities by race, with kids of

color feeling less like they belong at school than their
white peers.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND ABSENTEEISM10

• Feeling connected to school impacts attendance. In 2013 2017 2019 2021

the most recent data on chronic absenteeism, rates

of absenteeism rose for all student groups.

• Recent data reveal the disproportionate impact of PERCENT OF WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
WHO FEEL THEY BELONG AT SCHOOL BY RACE, 2021
absenteeism on students of color, especially Black,
Native American, and Hispanic students who tend to
live in under-resourced communities.
64.8
• Trend data also show that racial disparities in chronic 57.6
absenteeism existed prior to the pandemic. 51
45.1 44.2
• Attendance is critical to more than academic
success in school. Students who feel connected
to their school also have better mental health. WHITE BLACK HISPANIC ASIAN MULTIRACIAL

% PERCENT OF WISCONSIN K-12 STUDENTS

CHRONICALLY ABSENT BY RACE / ETHNICITY
Students who are absent 10% or more of the
school year are considered chronically absent.
Nearly 45% of Black
students in Wisconsin 2019-20
were chronically absent in 2020-21
the 2020-21 school year;
over a third (35.6%) of
Native American students,
and a quarter (25.1%) of
Hispanic students were
chronically absent.

AMERICAN ASIAN BLACK HISPANIC PACIFIC WHITE MULTI-

%
INDIAN ISLANDER RACIAL

6 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 2022 DASHBOARD
Wisconsin Child Well-Being Indicators Dashboard

Each stoplight indicates whether the current Wisconsin data is an improvement or not when
compared to the baseline data. The most recent available data at the time of print are used for
LEGEND "current" statistics. Data from approximately five years prior are used for "baseline" statistics.
For details on any indicator, please see the indicator description document on the OCMH website.

Wisconsin is going in the wrong direction (known to be statistically significant).

? Wisconsin seems to be headed in the wrong direction, but is within the margin
of error (not statistically significant) or unknown (significance unknown).

This indicator did not change (difference of 0.5% or less before rounding).

? Wisconsin seems to be headed in the right direction but is within the margin of
error (not statistically significant) or unknown (significance unknown).

Wisconsin is going in the right direction (known to be statistically significant).

HEALTH BEHAVIORS Participation in extracurricular

activities – sports, music, art,
US WI WI drama, or afterschool clubs –
INDICATOR CURRENT BASELINE CURRENT
has a range of positive out-
comes: improved self-esteem,
Extracurricular participation N/A 68% 64% ?
resilience, social skills, connec-
Electronically bullied (cyberbullying) 16% 18% 16% ? tion to school, and academic
performance.
Bullied on school property 20% 24% 18%

Students Screen time increase is attributed

who use electronics 3+ hours N/A 40% 75% to heavy reliance on technology
on average school days (not for schoolwork)
and virtual connections during
Students
who sleep 8 hours on average 22% 26% 28% ?
the pandemic.
school night

Students who experienced sexual dating violence 8% 10% 10% Research consistently shows
that kids who sleep the recom-
Students
who drink alcohol (at least one drink, 29% 30% 26% mended amount have better
?
at least one day in prior month) mental health.

Teen birth rate per 1,000 15.4% 16.2% 11.5%

Wisconsin's teen birth rate
Students who vape frequently continues to fall and is below

(20 or more days in the month prior) 11% 3% 7%
the national rate.

children.wi.gov 7
 2022 DASHBOARD
Wisconsin Child Well-Being Indicators Dashboard
Poverty has declined over time
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC FACTORS
due to state and federal poli-
cies such as the Earned Income
US WI WI
INDICATOR CURRENT BASELINE CURRENT Tax Credit (EITC), and was fur-
ther helped during the pandem-
Low income youth 35% 38% 32% ? ic due to federal relief programs
like the Child Tax Credit.

School connectedness N/A 71% 61% Research shows that kids who
are connected to their school,
and feel they belong, have
Difficulty with friendships/social skills
23% 26% 23% ? much better mental health.
(ages 6-17)

Positive adolescent friendships

Percent of students suspended 3% 3% 3% play a key role in promoting and
protecting youth mental health.

Eighth grade math proficiency 26% 39% 33%

Performance declined for both
the state and the nation during
Homeless youth 2% 2% 2% the pandemic. At the same time,
Wisconsin students outper-
formed the national average for
High school graduation 86% 89% 90% ? 8th grade math proficiency.

? While Wisconsin is one of the

Employment (ages 16-24) 54% 66% 67%
top-ranked states in overall
graduation rates, it also has
Positive adult mentor 86% 95% 92% ? one of the nation's worst gaps
between Black and white
graduates, deepening disparities
Ages 25 and older with bachelor's degree 35% 30% 33% ? and reducing opportunities for
Black youth.

Parents who attend child's activities 84% 90% 89% ?

The pandemic disproportionally

Foster care placements per 1,000 children 2.8% 4.3% 3.1% ? affected preschool enrollment
for low-income children. Current
DPI data indicate a large, pan-
Four-year-old kindergarten enrollment 29% 72% 56% ?
demic driven drop in 2020-21
followed by a partial rebound in
2021-22. Prior to the pandemic
Mothers with higher education degrees 42% 46% 48% ?
Pre-K enrollment was increasing.

8 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 2022 DASHBOARD
Wisconsin Child Well-Being Indicators Dashboard

CLINICAL CARE
US WI WI
INDICATOR CURRENT BASELINE CURRENT

Psychiatrists N/A 390 360 ?

The count of school-based
mental health professionals
School Social Workers N/A 586 741 has increased. There are a
number of initiatives funded
School Counselors N/A 2049 2195 by pandemic relief dollars that
will continue to invest in these
School Psychologists N/A 890 1017 positions. However, like all
states, Wisconsin is far below
Children with mental health conditions
48% 47% 49% ?
recommended levels.
who did not receive treatment (ages 3-17)

Difficulty obtaining mental health services 47% 45% 50% ? Half of Wisconsin youth with
a diagnosed mental health
Doctors who did not ask about parental condition such as depression,
?

concerns with learning, development, or 70% 62% 66% anxiety, or behavioral problems
behavioral problems (ages 0-5) receive no treatment.

Early developmental screen 35% 43% 44%

Early prenatal care (first trimester) 76% 80% 81%

QUALITY OF LIFE
US WI WI
INDICATOR CURRENT BASELINE CURRENT

Two or more ACEs (Adverse Childhood The number of children with

17% 21% 18% ?
Experiences) adverse childhood experiences
(ACEs) may rise in the coming
Youth experiencing a major depressive years given pandemic effects.
(ages 12-17)
episode 16% 14% 14%

Children
who have emotional, behavioral, or 23% 21% 23% ? There has been a stark increase
developmental conditions in the number of youth with feel-
ings of sadness or hopeless-
High school students feeling sad or hopeless 37% 27% 34%
ness, stopping them from doing
? some usual activities.
Teens seriously considering suicide 19% 16% 18%

?
Suicide attempts 9% 8% 9% Some data sources report on
LGB rather than LGBT students,
LGBT youth seriously considering suicide 45% 43% 48% but transgender students are
known to be at high risk for
Young adults experiencing any mental illness 30% 24% 33%
suicidality.
(ages 18-25)
children.wi.gov 9
 SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS IS KEY

Social Connectedness of Youth is the Office of

Children’s Mental Health’s (OCMH) strategic focus.
Across all ages of young people, it is the one thing
that can make a difference in children's mental health.

SOCIA L C O NNECTEDNES S

Youth are socially connected when they are actively

engaged in positive relationships where they feel they
belong, are safe, cared for, valued, and supported.

The Power of Social Connections

Social connectedness impacts more than just our mental health – it
also improves our physical health. Additionally, social connectedness
What’s the one thing that can prevent loneliness, that can damage both our physical health and
could make a difference mental health.11
in the mental health and
well-being of Wisconsin’s School connectedness in adolescence has long-lasting impacts,
young people today? Our reducing the following in adulthood12:
answer is social connected- • Emotional distress and odds of suicidal ideation
ness. • Physical violence, victimization, and perpetration
• Multiple sex partners
Linda Hall, Director,
• Sexually transmitted infection diagnosis
Wisconsin Office of Children’s
Mental Health • Prescription drug misuse and other illicit drug use

Being part of a social network beyond family is important for all kids.
Youth who are part of a social network beyond family 13:
• Are less likely to internalize stress
• Have reduced loneliness, depression, and anxiety
• Have overall better well-being

!
What can we do when kids don’t have a network?
A less than 40-second compassionate interaction can substantially reduce anxiety.14
Adults can ask: What is your favorite movie/book? What do you
enjoy doing that you are good at? What do you like learning?

10 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS IS KEY
(C ONTINU E D)

Social Connectedness of Youth –

PUBLIC
OCMH Strategic Focus HEALTH

YOUTH
We believe that all individuals and organizations that touch JUSTICE
YOUTH
SERVICES
children’s mental health can identify work they already do, or
could do, in at least one of the following categories of social
connectedness: SUPPORTIVE
CHILD ADULT
1. Family WELFARE EDUCATION
2. Supportive Adult
PEER FAMILY
3. Cultural Identity / Community
4. School / Early Education
5. Peer DISABILITIES
SCHOOL / CULTURAL HEALTH
EARLY IDENTITY / CARE
EDUCATION COMMUNITY
That is why OCMH brings together various sectors and
organizations, including state departments, to collectively focus
EARLY
on social connectedness of youth. MENTAL
CARE &
HEALTH
EDUCATION
PARENTS

Strong Foundations are Critical in Building & YOUTH

Emotional Well-Being
If relationships with parents/primary caregivers have been positive and
consistent, a young person’s foundation will be strong, and they will be
better prepared to build relationships as they move through life.

As children grow, they also need connections with peers and other
supportive adults to feel that they belong at school and in their community. Connectedness to family, peers,
and trusted adults in schools
Positive and consistent relationships and social connections make for
and community organizations
resilient youth who are able to better navigate mental health challenges.
is key to protecting adolescent
health. Students are more likely
FAMILY to thrive if they know they mat-
ter and that they have adults,
teachers, and friends who care
about their safety and success.
These protections can last
long into adulthood, leading to
better mental health, and less
0-5 YRS 6-12 YRS 13-18 YRS 19-26 YRS
substance use.
Lifespan of a Child
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention

EDUCATORS | COMMUNITY | MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

CARING ADULTS | PHYSICIANS | PEERS

S O C I A L D E T E RM I N AN TS OF H E ALT H

children.wi.gov 11
 SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS IS KEY
( CO N TI N UED )

SHARED PRIORITY
OCMH COLLECTIVE IMPACT TEAMS FORMED Our social connectedness focus
TO FOCUS ON SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS OF YOUTH
supports efforts on social isolation and
TEAM TEAM VISION loneliness at the national and state
level. Both the Wisconsin and National
Coalitions to End Social Isolation and
Children have warm, positive relationships with
Loneliness are drawing attention to
FAMILY

their family that make them feel like they belong,

this important issue. Why is this so
are safe, cared for, valued, and supported.
important?15

• Social isolation can lead to a 29%

increased risk of early death, and
SUPPORTIVE

Adults, especially older adults, connect with loneliness leads to a 26% increase.
ADULT

and establish affirming relationships with youth.

• Some estimates show that social
isolation is equivalent to smoking
up to 15 cigarettes per day.
CULTURAL IDENTITY

• The effects of either social

/ COMMUNITY

Young people are regularly involved in spaces

that help them feel connected to one another isolation or loneliness exceeds
and their culture or identity. the effects of physical inactivity,
obesity, and air pollution.

TIMELINE FOR NEW STRATEGIC FOCUS

FALL WINTER FEB / MAR APR / MAY JUN

2021 2021 2022 2022 2022

OCMH Discuss Discuss with prior Form new Social Connectedness New
strategic with impact teams.* of Youth teams.** Prior OCMH teams
planning Advisory Retire teams in team members selected a started.
on Social and March. new team, and new partners
Connectedness Collective *Access, Infant, Toddler,
were recruited.
of Youth. Impact Resilience, Trauma- **Family, Supportive Adult,
Councils. Informed Care Cultural Identity/Community

WORK PLAN FOR EACH TEAM

B UILDING
RELATIONSHIPS STRATEGIC PLANNING
Study to inform
Effective collective
goal setting:
impact work is rooted
in relationships. Through · Examine Establish Develop Identify CORONADO
KIMBERLEE
in-depth introductions, relevant data team activities measurements
Lived Experience Parent
on focus area goal/s to support forPartner
activities
team members shared – Office of
their issues and concerns · Team issues / the goal/s
Children’s Mental Health
on the team topic. concerns

12 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS IS KEY
(C ONTINU E D)

Connecting This Work to Communities

Enthusiasm for our Social Connectedness of Youth focus was evident across the state and across stakeholders and various
sectors! OCMH visits, which included state department leaders and First Lady Kathy Evers' office, showcased organizations
focusing on connecting youth.

Washburn County Mental Health

Task Force: Identifying youth with
unmet needs and connecting
them with appropriate services.
In a New Light Gallery – The Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Northwest Passage: Green Bay: Providing a safe,
Providing a therapeutic inviting, place for youth ages
nature photography 7-17 to learn, grow, and have
program and art gallery for fun; with a focus on building
students from Northwest Spooner relationships, the arts,
Passage Residential social-emotional learning, and
Webster
Treatment Center. working with the community.

Wired for Social

Family Resource Center Connection Across Acceptional Minds: Helping
Baldwin
St. Croix Valley: Providing Wisconsin students with autism and
education, resources, Eau similar conditions, and their
and support to families Claire & Green families, navigate life with
with children prenatal to Bay neurodiverse brains.
Chippewa
kindergarten in Pierce, Valley
Polk, and St. Croix Counties
Counties. Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Milwaukee: Starting with a
Milwaukee safe place to learn and play,
Mental Health Matters: efforts focus on relationship
Building a community development, positive
Racine
culture to support youth adult-to-youth interactions,
resilience and decrease and social-emotional
depression among middle development to enhance
Racine Unified School District/ young people’s strengths and
and high school age youth.
Racine Collaborative for Children’s positive outcomes.
Mental Health: Preparing high
school students for college and the
workforce by providing real-world
experiences with local businesses
and professionals.

children.wi.gov 13
 MENTAL HEALTH LIVED EXPERIENCE IS EVERYWHERE
YO UTH D EPICT M ENTA L H EA LTH AND W ELL-B EING THRO UG H PHOTO

In 2021, the Voices of Wisconsin Students Project: Learning, Coping, and Building Resilience During
COVID-19 Report provided an in depth understanding of how Wisconsin youth were faring in the
pandemic. In 2022, to better understand the mental health needs of youth, the Wisconsin Office of
Children’s Mental Health, Department of Health Services Division of Care and Treatment Services,
and the Bureau of Community Health Promotion collaborated with the Medical College of Wisconsin’s
Comprehensive Injury Center to conduct focus groups and collect photos from Wisconsin youth ages
14 – 26 in a follow-up Photovoice Project. Youth shared the following images to show what mental
health and well-being means to them.

IS T I C P R A C T I CE
H OL S

FO O D
E X ER C I S E

SP O R T S

PE T S
M U SI C

L N E R A B IL I T Y
VU

E O U T D O OR S
TIM

A RT PLORE NATU
EX R
E

14 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 MENTAL HEALTH LIVED EXPERIENCE IS EVERYWHERE
L I V ED EX PERTS RESPOND TO C HALLENG ES THROUG H SYSTEMS C HAN G E

Every day, children and families in Wisconsin are navigating services and systems due to increased
mental health needs. The impact is felt across rural, urban, and suburban communities, regardless
of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. By living through these hardships, parents and
caregivers become experts on children’s mental health system gaps. Highlighted below are three
parent leaders dedicating their time and energy to meaningfully improve system capacity throughout
the entire state.

RACHEL ZWICKY’S family faces many challenges in her two sons’

rural school district – services and supports just aren’t available for
their high needs. At the county and school level, Rachel has been
Iron River
speaking up. Now, Rachel serves on the Coalition for Expanding
School-Based Mental Health Board as a new Lived Experience
Representative to advance mental health services in schools
across the State.

SHIMIKA HARRIS is passionate about sharing

community resources. When her nephew
began experiencing psychotic episodes,
she recognized caregivers needed
more information. Shimika co-created
the "Handling a Mental Health Crisis"
resource for caregivers, released in
2022, which has been viewed over 600
West Salem Milwaukee times online and distributed to schools and
organizations across Wisconsin.

JARED HEESCH has opened his home to countless children

experiencing the child welfare system since 2012. Through
emergency placements, short-term respite, and long-term
stays, Jared has collaborated with many social services staff
and recognized their need to better understand how to support
foster and biological families. In 2022, Jared shared his wisdom and practical
examples of supporting families with over 200 social services staff.

Do you see the value of lived experience? Contact OCMH if you have an opportunity
for a parent or youth leader to influence the children’s mental health system!

children.wi.gov 15
 RESPONDING TO THE NEED
OCMH ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The national youth mental health crisis has drawn attention to the mental
health needs of children. From increasing awareness of anxiety and
depression among youth to advocating for mental health, the
Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) works on many
levels to provide tools, share resources, and convene
people to address the crisis. We are pleased to
highlight a number of 2022 accomplishments.

OUTREACH AND CONVENING

• Children's mental health presentations. OCMH staff shared
data and strategies on systems change and increasing
lived experience at numerous conferences.
• Suicide prevention awareness. Convened Sources of Six Conditions of Systems Change
Strength leaders to increase awareness of suicide EXPLICIT

prevention efforts across the state.

Structural
Change

• Tackling systems change one step at a time. Worked with POLICIES

PRACTICES

stakeholders to improve the sharing of hospital discharge CONNECTIONS

information with schools. RESOURCE

FLOWS
POWER
IMPLICIT
Transformative
Change

• Amplifying parent engagement. Joined with the First

DYNAMICS

MENTAL
SEMI
MODELS
EXPLICIT

Lady’s Office on a National Governor’s Association Grant Credit: FSG

to initiate parent engagement focus groups at schools

and develop a focus group model for replication at schools
HANDLING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
throughout the state.
A mental health crisis can prevent
someone from caring for themselves because of trauma or
other challenges. Crisis can be obvious or subtle, it can be shared and can be
present for a long time. A mental health crisis can be similar to leaky water pipes.
Below are some tips for how to handle a mental health crisis with your child or teen.

RESOURCES
WHEN YOU NOTICE THE LEAK
„ Stop. Take a breath. Notice your own feelings
„ Take time to think – your responses matter
„ Connect. Focus on the child and show interest and support
„ Stay positive and open. Let them talk about or show their feelings
„ Respect their experiences, address their concerns
„ Ask if they are thinking about suicide
„ Reach out for support, including friends, family, or teachers

• Social media images. Created a series of social media images IF THE PIPES BURST
„ Stay calm – your child needs you
„ Reassure safety and that you are here to help

promoting awareness of children's mental health.

„ Use clear, short sentences to avoid confusion
„ Offer safe options so your child feels more in control
„ Remove things they could use to hurt themselves
„ Contact your county’s crisis line. If you call 911, ask for a mental health crisis worker

HOW TO REPAIR THE PIPES AFTER

• Handling a Mental Health Crisis. Developed a flyer that provides a

„ Provide reassurance, support, and encouragement
„ Identify services and supports (friends, teachers) that might help your family
„ Check in regularly how each family member is doing
„ Use and create routines and structure at home

shared understanding of what a mental health crisis looks like and

„ Assist family members to find and practice activities that relieve stress
„ Complete a Mental Health Crisis Card for each family member

„ Wisconsin HopeLine „ Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

offers advice and resources on how caregivers can best support Text “HOPELINE”
to 741-741
Call, chat, or text
988

children.wi.gov

their child or teen.

• Feelings Thermometer magnets final distribution. Initially produced
during the pandemic as a visual tool to help people measure how
they are doing emotionally and what steps they can take to shift
their mood when things get tough, final distribution of the 41,500
magnets printed in 2020 and 2021 was completed in 2022. The tool
is available on the OCMH website in 10 languages.

16 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 RESPONDING TO THE NEED
(C ONTIN UE D)

ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

• Raising up children’s mental health data and issues. OCMH released its 2021
Annual Report on January 11, 2022 to a virtual gathering of nearly 200 people
across the state.
• Children’s Mental Health Week was celebrated May 1-7, 2022. OCMH, with ArtWorks
for Milwaukee’s CAPE Mental Health Movement (a youth program where graphic
artists guide youth) made social media posts available for sharing.
• Convening a network of over 200 people that work collectively to improve
children’s mental health in Wisconsin.
• Recommendations to improve school mental health. The University of Wisconsin –
Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs conducted a study for OCMH on the
state of mental health services at Wisconsin’s K-12 schools. The report evaluated
survey data, compared Wisconsin to other states, and made recommendations on
improving school mental health capacity and quality.

ADVANCING LIVED EXPERIENCE LEADERSHIP

• Lived Experience Academy is a program piloted
with the Department of Children and Families that
LIVED EXPERIENCE PARTNERS provides structured learning and leadership
B U I LD CO N N EC TI ONS AND C APACIT Y
TO C REATE S YSTEM S CHANGE opportunities for parents and youth with lived
experience. Launched in late 2021, the initial
Expert
Consultation cohort involved 31 participants in three leadership
for Organizations
Leadership levels and was completed in June 2022.
in Collective
Impact Teams
Skill • Learning from lived experts. Over 400 mental
Development
& Mentorship
health providers, county human services staff,
and community members attended six lived
experience panel presentations at a variety of
LIVED
EXPERIENCE conferences and panel sessions. At all events, a
PARTNERS
primary focus was advocating for the involvement
of lived experience in children’s mental health
systems work.

EQUIPPING THE WORKFORCE

• Trauma-informed care training videos on “Exploring Race and Culture from a
Trauma-Informed Care Lens” were produced and posted on the OCMH website.
The series included four 30-minute videos, each offering an expert panel and
a group discussion toolkit. Total views of the videos topped 2,690.
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation was funded by the
Joint Finance Committee. After many years of advocacy by OCMH and others,
the $5 million in funding was awarded to the Department of Children and
Families to build a statewide consultation framework for childcare.

children.wi.gov 17
 PARTNERSHIPS & COLLECTIVE IMPACT

onnectedness
l C of The Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH)
a Yo
ci SUPPORTIVE
brings people and organizations together to
focus on improving children’s mental health in
o

ut
ADULT
=S

h=
the State of Wisconsin. Social Connectedness of
WISC

Youth is the common agenda for our collective

O N AG E N DA
PEER FAMILY
impact work. Our collective purpose is to support
ONSIN’S C

Wisconsin’s children in achieving their optimal

social and emotional well-being. Our charge is

MM
SCHOOL / CULTURAL to study, recommend strategies, and coordinate
HIL

EARLY IDENTITY / CO
initiatives to improve the integration of children’s
DR

EDUCATION COMMUNITY
CT

’S
EN

mental health services across state agencies.

PA

ME IM
NT
AL T IVE
H E A LT H C O L L EC
Our stakeholders People participating on our
are a broad group of OCMH COUNCILS AND TEAMS
individuals sharing a
passion for children’s
212
(many
Over mental health and participate OCMH
PARTNERS
85 representing a on more than
one group) COLLECTIVE
diverse range of
perspectives. They
IMPACT
ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT
include mental health NETWORK
THE STATE JOIN US IN OUR WORK
professionals, health
systems, pediatricians,
119
129 18
psychiatrists, families, People actively participate on one
peers, mental health of our SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS OF
People on the People on the advocates, advocates for YOUTH TEAMS: Family • Cultural
COLLECTIVE ADVISORY those with disabilities, Identity / Community •
IMPACT COUNCIL COUNCIL and lived experience. Supportive Adult

New people New representation from Wisconsin’s tribal

EXPANDED
NETWORK 54 joined an OCMH
council or team
INCREASED
DIVERSITY
communities, culturally diverse groups, county health
and human services departments, and legislators.

OCMH works in collaboration with the Wisconsin Departments of

Health Services, Children and Families, Corrections, and Public
Instruction to improve children’s mental health in our state.
Please see our Annual Report State Partnerships supplement on
our website (children.wi.gov) for an in-depth recap of these state
departments' 2022 children’s mental health achievements.

18 W i s c o n s i n O f f i c e o f C h i l d re n ’s M e n t a l H e a l t h
 REFERENCES / EXPANDING CONNECTIONS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Page 4
1
CDC, 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results: Wisconsin High School Survey.
Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2017-
Connect with Us
2

2019 and 2021 American Community Survey. Retrieved from the KIDS COUNT Data
Center: https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/10183-children-who-have-health- The Office of Children’s Mental Health
insurance-by-health-insurance-type?loc=1&loct=1#ranking/2/any/true/2048/4153/19707
has five social media accounts to share
3
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Wisconsin 2022. news and resources. Get connected
4
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. with us on your favorite platform!
Page 5
5
Pew Research Center, June 2022, “How Teens Navigate School During COVID-19.”
6
National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2019, The Trevor Project.
7
Allen JP, Costello M, Kansky J, Loeb EL. (2022) When friendships surpass parental
relationships as predictors of long-term outcomes: Adolescent relationship qualities and
adult psychosocial functioning. Child Development 93(3):760-777. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13713
8
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Wisconsin 2022.

Page 6
9
CDC, 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results: Wisconsin High School Survey.
10
WISEdash Public Portal. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved from
https://wisedash.dpi.wi.gov/. Top Post in 2022
Page 10
11
Powell, Alvin, Social distance makes the heart grow lonelier, The Harvard Gazette,
45/4/2020 https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/05/how-to-ease-loneliness-
and-feel-more-connected/
12
Riley J. Steiner, Ganna Sheremenko, Catherine Lesesne, Patricia J. Dittus, Renee
E. Sieving, Kathleen A. Ethier (2019). Adolescent Connectedness and Adult Health
Outcomes. Pediatrics, 144 (1): e20183766. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3766
13
Bernasco, Nelemans, van der Graaf, Branje. (2021). Friend Support and Internalizing
Symptoms in Early Adolescence During COVID-19. Journal of Research on Adolescence,
31(3):692-702. DOI: 10.1111/jora.12662

Pages 10 and Back Cover

14
Trzeciak, S. and Mazzarelli, A. (2019). Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific
Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference. Studer Group.

Page 12
15
Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness. 2021-2022 Policy Priorities. Retrieved
from https://www.endsocialisolation.org/policy-priorities

Back Cover
16
Centers for Disease Control. (2022, April 1). Mental Health, Suicidality, and During Children’s Mental Health Week
Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic. ABES
2022, this image created by teen
Survey, U.S. January–June 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/su/su7103a3.htm
interns at ArtWorks for Milwaukee
17
The Trevor Project. (June 2019). The Trevor Project Research Brief: Accepting Adults was viewed by 9,763 people
Reduce Suicide Attempts Among LGBTQ Youth. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/06/Trevor-Project-Accepting-Adult-Research-Brief_June-2019.pdf on Facebook!
18
Arora, Collins, Dart, et al. (2019). Multi-tiered Systems of Support for School-Based
Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Depression Interventions School Mental Health:
A Multidisciplinary Research and Practice Journal, 11(2), 240–264. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s12310-019-09314-4

children.wi.gov 19
 WIRED FOR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

Proven strategies that improve What we can do:

brain health and mental wellness:
ALL – look for opportunities to authentically
interact with youth. A less than 40-second
SUFFICIENT compassionate interaction can substantially
SLEEP reduce anxiety.14

STUDENTS – connect with other

BE ACTIVE / youth at school. Youth who feel
PLAY connected to at least one
SPORTS
person at school have
better mental health.16

PARENTS – support
TIME IN your child to get
NATURE
sufficient sleep. At
least 8 hours of
sleep improves
mental health
and academic
performance.
STICK TO
ROUTINES ADULTS – just one
accepting adult in
the life of an LGBTQ
youth can reduce
their risk of suicide
HEALTHY attempt by 40%.17
FRIENDSHIPS
SCHOOLS – implement a
preventative mental health
framework, including
SOCIAL universal mental health
CONNECTIONS / screenings of all students.18
VOLUNTEERING

[email protected] | 1 West Wilson, Room 655 | Madison, WI 53703

children.wi.gov