NAMI Addressing Children’s Grief and Mental Health
The past few years have brought unprecedented challenges for children and youth, leaving many grappling with significant loss and the subsequent impact on their mental health. Parents and caregivers, in turn, often find themselves uncertain about how to assist their children and may experience a sense of isolation. However, parents and caregivers should not be navigating this path alone.
NAMI Minnesota (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) announces its upcoming Super Saturday Educational Conference for Parents and Caregivers, which will take place in person and online on February 10. This transformative event, aimed at addressing the significant impact of grief on children’s mental health, promises a day of insightful discussions, expert-led sessions, and valuable community connections.
In collaboration with several partners, NAMI Minnesota has curated a dynamic agenda featuring expert speakers, breakout sessions, and engaging activities to explore creative ways to process sorrow and loss. Topics include understanding children’s grief, recognizing and responding to first episode psychosis, supporting students with special education needs, community approaches to suicide prevention, and crisis planning and trauma.
“This Super Saturday Educational Conference is a unique opportunity to come together and explore the challenges faced by children and youth living with a mental illness or dealing with grief,” explains Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI Minnesota. “Every year, we hold this event because it is greatly appreciated in the community, but given the mental health crisis that our children and young people are experiencing, now more than ever, parents and caregivers must make an effort to attend.”
Register today at namimn.org to attend the conference online or in person, network with peers through the NAMI Minnesota Parent Support Program, and access valuable resources from community partners. For those who attend in person, the conference is at BlackHawk Middle School, 1540 Deerwood Drive, Eagan, MN 55122, on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 8:30 to 3:00 PM. A continental breakfast and a lunch buffet will be provided.
Participant Testimonials from Previous Events:
“I just wanted to say thank you for such an amazing event. It was wonderful to see everyone, and it made me appreciate even more the hard work that NAMI does in educating the public about mental illness.”
“The presenter was knowledgeable, passionate, and dynamic – it was great!”
This Super Saturday event is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Dakota County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative. To further inquire about how you or your organization can be part of this event, please contact parenteducation@namimn.org or (651) 645-2948. NAMI Minnesota is a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families through its education, support, and advocacy programs.
