MONDAY MEMO #53

Resilient Georgia
Nov 3, 2025
5 min read

Welcome to your weekly Monday Memo. This week’s edition highlights education, infant and early childhood mental health, mental health and crisis support, and professional development opportunities. Before we dive in, here are some reminders and highlights from the RG Team:

RG Highlights

Final Peer Network Call of the Year – November 4th at 2 PM! Don’t miss our last Peer Network Call of 2025 tomorrow Tuesday, November 4th at 2 PM, as we continue our series on Coalition Building and Evaluation. Join us to connect, learn, and close out the year with inspiration and shared insight! This session will focus Vision & Leadership and Evaluation & Operational Excellence.
NMHWAC Cohort 6 - Please share with recent MH graduates! Applications are open for Cohort 6 of the National Mental Health Workforce Accelerator Collaborative (NMHWAC), a partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Kaiser Permanente, and RG. This program offers post-master’s candidates up to $10,000 in milestone-based incentives, including stipends and professional development support. Eligible applicants are early-career clinicians pursuing licensure and committed to serving under-resourced communities. The application is open now until November 16th. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to NMHWAC@thenationalcouncil.org.
Save the Date for Our Next General Meeting Regional Showcase: Building Resilient Futures Youth Mental Health in Action: Join us on Thursday, November 13, from 11AM – 12:30PM on Zoom for our next Regional Showcase centered on supporting Youth Mental Health. We will spotlight six Resilient Georgia Regional Coalitions and their innovative youth mental health initiatives. Discover how local partnerships and creative strategies are strengthening well-being and resilience in Georgia’s communities. To request an invite, please email Alex English at aenglish@resilientga.org. Learn more about our speakers here!
Action-Item! Suicide Prevention Training for Faith Communities: She Soars, in partnership with the Emory Rollins School of Public Health, is conducting a survey and needs assessment for faith leaders as part of the new “Pray And” Initiative. This initiative—launched in collaboration with the Metro Atlanta Ministerial Alliance (MAMA) and Soul Shop Movement—offers free education, training, and program support to help clergy and faith-based leaders recognize, discuss, and respond to mental health and crisis needs within their congregations and communities. Faith leaders are invited to take the brief 3–5 minute survey by November 11th. Please share widely with your faith communities!
U.S. Child Poverty Triples to 13%: A recent report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation highlights the growing urgency of food insecurity and poverty nationwide. The analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data from the annual Supplemental Poverty Measure — slated for discontinuation by the current administration — found that more than 1 in 8 children (13%) lived in poverty in 2024. Without the support of government programs and policies, the child poverty rate would nearly double. Notably, 61% (5.9 million) of children living in poverty had at least one employed parent, reflecting the challenges working families face in meeting basic needs. As you consider the lack of SNAP benefit availability in November, your coalitions may be hearing from partners about food and nutrition trauma. For families in need of assistance, the following resources can help . Please also consider donating to and stocking your local food banks during this difficult time.

Coalition Highlights

Cobb Collaborative: The coalition’s last virtual Capacity Catalyst workshop of 2025 will be this Thursday, November 6th from 3p-4p. The workshop presenter is Robert Carnes, Marketing Director with Green Mellen, who will be exploring how storytelling can amplify your impact as a nonprofit while gaining practical tips on how to connect your mission to your audience through your impactful work. Registrants will receive a recording of the presentation, with live participation encouraged. Use the link here to learn more and sign up.

Resilient Gwinnett: Resilient Gwinnett recently hired two interns, Kayla (Georgia State University) and Libby (University of Georgia), who are both are currently pursuing degrees in social work. They are actively contributing to several initiatives under Resilient Gwinnett, including one key project developing the Resilient Gwinnett Youth Advisory Council.

Education

School Safety Law - HB 268 - Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice: Georgia Appleseed published a helpful guide on the latest House Bill 268. This resource breaks down the main changes from the bill for parents, educators, and advocates trying to understand how this law impacts your school or child. Read here.

Georgia Appleseed, GSU explore the economic and social impact of high school students not graduating – WABE: Featured on “Closer Look,” is a new report by Georgia Appleseed on the long-term economic and social benefits of keeping students in school. This report utilizes data from the class of 2022 in Georgia and examines what factors increase students likelihood of dropping out of high school. Listen to the story here or read the full report here.

Homeless Students–Humankind on Public Radio – Apple Podcasts: From Humankind on Public Radio comes an episode highlighting an inner city high school student from boston who launged a series of citywide clothing drives motivated by the needs of fellow students who are homeless or displaced. Listen to the podcast here.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Financing Policy Project | ZERO TO THREE: From ZERO TO THREE comes the Infant and Early Childhood mental Health Financing Policy Project. This project aimed to support states to develop policy and financing strategies which increase access to and utilization of mental health supports and services for young children and their caregivers. Learn more about the project and resources created here. ZERO TO THREE is also hosting a webinar showcasing their latest toolkit “Integrating Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health into Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.” Join the webinar to learn more about the toolkit and also hear from representatives from the National Council for Mental Health Wellbeing and state IECMH teams.

Mental Health and Crisis Support

The State of Mental Health in America: This report from Mental Health America provides state-level rankings on mental health and latest national data on mental health conditions. Read the full report here.

A new Support and Crisis Line Infographic i s now available to save, post, or share. It lists key hotlines for crisis situations, assault and abuse, and ongoing mental health support—offering a quick way to find help or help someone else. Download and share to keep these vital resources close at hand.

FREE 988 Training Modules: From 988 Georgia comes a series of free training modules to help strengthen skills in mental health support, crisis intervention, and responsible reporting. Learn more and register here.

Professional Development

Partnerships in Education and Resilience (PEAR): Educators, counselors, and youth-serving professionals are invited to join “Increase Mental Wellness and Resilience through Developmental CBT Strategies”, the first in a three-part, credit-bearing workshop series from PEAR. Taking place Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 1–4 PM ET, this interactive session will equip participants with practical, developmentally appropriate CBT techniques to help youth manage stress, build coping skills, and strengthen resilience—while also supporting their own wellness. Early-bird registration is $250 through December 1.

Circles of Security Parenting Facilitator Training: This is a training to learn how to facilitate the Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) Program for parents and caregivers. The COSP program is aimed to support families to recognize unhelpful intergenerational patterns and help understand children’s needs. Virtually offered from December 8-12 from 6:30 AM-8:30 AM PST and costs $1000. Learn more and register here.