MONDAY MEMO #68
- Mar 9
- 6 min read
Happy Monday! This week’s memo we are highlighting resources for parents and caregivers, training opportunities, a variety of mindfulness and self-care resources, and a relevant article on juvenile justice and youth. Before we dive in, here are a few reminders and highlights from RG:
RG Highlights
March Lunch & Learn: Using Data to Drive Mental Health Advocacy & Policy Join us this Thursday March 12th from 12–12:45 PM for a virtual Lunch & Learn featuring Kim Jones (NAMI GA) and Roland Behm of the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership (GMHPP). This session will explore how community leaders can use data to strengthen advocacy, inform policy discussions, and effectively engage decision-makers—especially during and after the legislative session. Participants will gain practical tools and strategies from GMHPP’s work to support systems-level change in mental and behavioral health. Email Alex at aenglish@resilientga.org for an invite!
Save the Date! Join Resilient Georgia for our Spring General Meeting on April 30th from 11AM–12:30 PM, featuring Resilience in Action: Showcasing the Community Resiliency Model Across Georgia. We will highlight how the Community Resiliency Model is being implemented across multiple sectors statewide to support resilience, strengthen well-being, and expand trauma-informed practices in diverse communities. More details and calendar invite to come! Please block your calendar and stay tuned!
Research Opportunity for Trauma-Informed Care Trainers: Augusta University is seeking 20 Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) trainers who work with schools and healthcare settings in rural counties across Georgia to participate in a research study exploring professionals’ perspectives on using trauma-informed approaches with children, youth, and families. Participation includes completing a brief questionnaire (about 15 minutes) and a 30–60 minute audio-recorded interview, which can be conducted via Teams or in person. Participants will receive a $50 e-gift card for their time. If you are a TIC trainer who may be interested—or if you know someone who may be a good fit—please contact Ashwini Tiwari Pandey at ashpandey@augusta.edu for more information.
The Carter Center’s Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program is convening an inaugural 2026 Employer Cohort on Mental Health Parity & Business, designed for employers interested in strengthening mental health benefits, advancing parity, and improving mental health literacy in the workplace. Participating organizations will engage in three expert-led employer roundtables throughout the year and a larger Employer Symposium, gaining practical guidance on parity requirements, health plan design, data use, and leveraging employer purchasing power to close gaps in mental health coverage. The series offers structured peer learning and flexible participation for HR, benefits, and leadership staff, supporting healthier workforces and more equitable, sustainable mental health benefits. Please email Sarah.Phillips@cartercenter.org if you are interested.
Coalition Highlights
Resilient Communities of East Georgia is highlighting two important upcoming
opportunities in Augusta focused on child, adolescent, and family well-being. On April 29, 2026, community members and professionals are invited to attend Child Enrichment’s Building Safer Futures Conference, a full-day event offering insights, networking, and meaningful discussion on creating safer futures for children and families, with CEUs available. For questions, contact Caitlyn Brantley at Cbrantley@childenrichment.org
The same week, a FREE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Symposium will be held at Augusta University’s Summerville Campus on April 30 (9:00 AM–3:00 PM) and May 1 (9:00 AM–12:00 PM), bringing together community partners, clinical mental health counseling students, and site supervisors to deepen understanding through interdisciplinary perspectives and collaborative learning.
United Way of Southwest Georgia, lead for Resilient Southwest Georgia, is hosting the Youth United 3rd Annual Hoodie Ball, a signature high school event designed to create a safe, welcoming space where students are encouraged to be their authentic selves. Taking place on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Thronateeska Heritage Center in Albany, this event is open to students in 8th–12th grade and centers on comfort, choice, and connection—no pressure, just music, movement, and community at your own pace. Register here!
Parents and Caregivers
Silence the Shame invites parents and caregivers to join their monthly Parent Cafés, with two upcoming sessions in March: March 11 – Understanding Youth Trauma: A Parent’s Perspective and March 21 – Building Resilience Through Self-Care as a Caregiver. All parents and caregivers are welcome, regardless of connection to the Restorative Hope program. Please consider sharing with your networks to help uplift and support families in our community. Register here!
Parenting in the Digital Age: Join Hillside, Inc on March 13 from 8:30-9:30AM for an in-person panel discussion on how parents and caregivers can navigate screens, social media, and children’s online lives. Experts, including clinicians, youth-focused educators, and state leaders, will discuss how social media, algorithms, and AI-driven platforms influence children’s emotional development, including impacts on anxiety, depression, identity formation, and exposure to harmful content. The panel will also share real-time insights from families, trauma-informed and DBT-aligned digital parenting strategies, and updates on bipartisan policy efforts to better protect youth. Attendees will gain practical tools, clarity, and guidance to strengthen family connection and engage more effectively in the systems shaping children’s mental wellbeing. Register for free here!
Join the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education for its Critical Issues Forum, Family Literacy: A Catalyst for Community Transformation, on March 18 from 9:30AM – 12PM at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. This event will explore how family literacy promotes long-term wellbeing, economic mobility, and community vitality by strengthening children’s academic success and empowering parents and caregivers as lifelong learners. Education leaders and community advocates will share insights on advancing whole-family learning to strengthen communities. Register here!
Professional Development and Training
Suicide Prevention Training: The Lotus Project is hosting the second webinar in its Suicide Prevention and Intervention for Asian American & Asian Immigrant (AAAI) Youth series. Webinar 2: Clinical & Community-Based Approaches will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, from 12:00–1:30 PM PT via Zoom. This session will explore culturally responsive suicide prevention strategies for AAAI children, youth, and families, addressing factors such as stigma, internalized achievement pressures, and barriers to care that influence help-seeking behaviors. Mary Lu and Peter Gee will highlight trauma-informed clinical and community-based approaches, practical strategies for early identification and intervention, and methods to strengthen engagement through schools, families, and community partnerships. Participants will leave with actionable tools to reduce stigma, expand access to support, and enhance prevention efforts. Register here!
Forging Pathways: Cradle to Career, hosted by Atlanta Way 2.0, will take place on Thursday, March 26, from 2–4 PM at Atlanta Metropolitan State College. Part of the Economic Mobility Series supported by the Blank Foundation, this in-person convening will examine how Atlanta’s education, workforce, and community organizations can align efforts from early childhood through postsecondary and career readiness to improve long-term economic mobility. Featuring partners across the cradle-to-career pipeline, the discussion will be grounded in data on Atlanta’s economic mobility trends and focus on strengthening cross-sector collaboration to expand opportunity for communities with the fewest resources. Register here!
Self-Care and Mindfulness Resources
As the world continues to feel heavy, the health and wellness of our partners remains our top priority at RG. We encourage our network to take time for self-care and explore a few supportive resources that promote mindfulness, reflection, and connection. PACEs Connection’s Practicing Self-Care and Mindfulness guide offers simple practices to help slow down, tune into the body, and build resilience. “4 Ways Mindfulness Helps Us Find Our Way Through the Dark” highlights how mindfulness can support emotional regulation and compassion during difficult times. You can also explore Circles of Practice from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, which provide supportive spaces for shared reflection and skill-building. Finally, we’re sharing a helpful graphic from Give an Hour on Sociopolitical Stressors and Mental Health, which offers insight and validation for the stress many people may be experiencing right now. Please take what you need and share with your teams—caring for ourselves and each other is essential to sustaining this work. 💙
Youth and Teens
What Juvenile Justice Data Reveal: This Annie E. Casey Foundation article reports that juvenile arrests declined dramatically from 1995 to 2019 (down 71%), with serious violent offenses by youth falling 67%, and that although the COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary spike in certain crimes, 2024–2025 data show arrests and detention admissions have dropped well below pre-pandemic levels. Decades of research support diversion, rehabilitation, and strong relationships with caring adults over incarceration, arguing that equitable, community-based approaches are more effective than punitive measures in promoting public safety and helping young people thrive.
THANK YOU FROM THE RESILIENT GEORGIA TEAM!