FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Hello, my friends!
Social media scrolling…Who here is guilty of it?
I know I certainly am! While there’s comfort in being able to “connect” with so many people from our lives, I don’t feel really connected. It’s like I’m watching through a window.
I think social media gives me a false sense of connection. Unlike real, personal connection, it does not create a bond, a sense of closeness, or a willingness to be vulnerable. It does not teach us to read body language and hear spoken intonation. All of these are hallmarks of true connection. True connection feeds our heart and soul, and positively impacts our mental and physical health. All humans, regardless of abilities, need true connection.
I’m going to challenge myself today and in the days to come to set down my phone when I would otherwise be scrolling and make at least one real, human connection during that time. I want to create a sense of closeness to feed my heart and soul. Will you come along with me?
Let me know how it goes. Be well,
CONNECT WITH US!
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
CLICK ON A TITLE FOR MORE INFO!
or visit http://ppal.net/events/
PPAL's Monthly Statewide Meeting - Addressing Black Youth
8/12/2025
10:00 - 11:30 AM
https://bit.ly/825statewide
What to Know, What to Expect: Juvenile Justice 102
8/19/2025
6:00 - 7:30 PM
https://bit.ly/819-jj102
My Child Won't Go To School: What Now?
8/26/2025
6:00 - 8:00 PM
https://bit.ly/826-school
Moving To Young Adult Life: Transition Planning And Post Secondary Options
8/27/2025
6:00 - 7:30 PM
https://bit.ly/827-transition
PPAL
Parent/Caregiver Connections & Support
Our support groups sometimes change. Please visit PPAL net/Events for the most up-to-date info
MONDAY
Are you navigating the mental or behavioral health systems for a child, teen, or young adult?
Request 1:1 peer support! We have NO waitlist!
Virtual: Grupo de Apoyo Hispano 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hybrid: Parenting Young Adults - Looking to the Future
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM (Gardner)
TUESDAY
Hybrid: Caregiver Connections
Virtual: P Powe 12:00 PM
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM (Winchendon)
FREEServices. Noinsurance required.
WEDNESDAY
Virtual: Relax & Connect 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM In Person: Westborough Parent Connections
2 Wednesdays nd 12:30 - 2:00 pm
4 Wednesdays th 6:30 - 8:00 PM
THURSDAY
Virtual: Grandparents Lunch and Learn
2 Thursdays nd 12:00 - 2:00 PM
FRIDAY
6:00 - 7:30 PM (Foxborough) Starting August 12
Virtual: Parenting Young Adults: Looking to the Future
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
4 Thursdays th 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Hybrid: Empowered Caregiver Connections
Do you need help navigating and advocating in the school system for a loved one with mental or behavioral health needs?
School Problem Solving Clinic Make An Appointment! parentsupportgroup@ppal.net
PPAL's Question of the Month June 2025 Results
How was school this year?
School was WORSE for far too many students of all ages this past school year.
perspective
|
from an academic perspective
|
The large number of students doing “worse” is both alarming and not unexpected.
Middle School: 62% worsening mental health | 46% worsening academics
Grades K-5: 53% worsening mental health | 39% worsening academics
High School: 47% worsening mental health | 34% worsening academics
This is not a problem of one child: this is a reflection of just how hard it is to access appropriate care and support IN SCHOOL for students with mental health needs.
It's clear that more or different intervention is needed to support these students NOW and not after their distress continues to heighten.
Repeatedly, families share that schools are dismissive of the impact of their child's mental health needs, that their child needs to “fail” into supports and services, and the services don’t meet the needs of their child.
What does this mean for families?
Families know their children best AND need to be heard. At PPAL, we understand the frustration, isolation, and hopelessness. You don’t need to handle it alone.
Contact PPAL for support and to be connected with FREE information and services for families.
WE GET IT! WE CAN HELP! worse from a mental
If you need help from PPAL right now, request family support here or call us toll free at (866) 815-8122.
PPAL's Question of the Month July 2025 Results
During the summer, what would be most helpful for you/your child with mental health needs?
Families want financial support and programs designed to meet their child’s mental health needs.
61% Financial support for summer programs
54% Day camp or day program for my child
45% Summer job or job training program for my child
44% Peer mentor for my child
43% Life skills program for my child
39% More ways to connect with other families like mine
38% Assistance in planning for summertime
33% Sleep-away camp or overnight care for my child
32% 1-to-1 support for my child during summer break
What does this mean for families?
Families explain that summer can be tough time as their children don’t easily fit into traditional summer programs and often struggle with reduced routines. Families continue to ask for what can help:
financial support to help with the cost of summer programs programs that match their child’s needs across the years, like well trained and appropriately staffed day camps, summer jobs/job training, and life skills training peer mentors for their child or 1-to-1 supports to access programs
Caregivers also want support for themselves: connection with other families who get it support for summer planning PPAL GETS IT! WE CAN HELP!
If you need help from PPAL right now, request family support here or call us toll free at (866) 815-8122.
Rethinking Social Media’s Impact on Kids’ Mental Health
Addiction, Not Just Hours
Recent studies suggest that it’s not just the amount of time kids spend on social media that impacts their mental health—but how they use it. Patterns of addictive behavior, including compulsive checking, emotional dependence, and the fear of missing out (FOMO), are more strongly associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption. Simply reducing screen time may not be enough if the underlying behaviors tied to social media use go unaddressed.
Emotional and Cognitive Risks
Teens who report problematic social media use— feeling anxious without access, prioritizing it over other activities, or relying on it to regulate emotions show significantly higher levels of psychological distress. These effects are intensified when social media becomes a substitute for offline connection or a source of self-worth, often driven by likes, filters, or idealized content
Cyberbullying and Sleep
Even moderate use can be harmful when it involves cyberbullying or disrupts healthy sleep patterns Teens who use their phones late at night to stay connected often suffer poor sleep, which can worsen symptoms of depression and attention difficulties. Cyberbullying, in particular, can cause profound emotional harm, and teens experiencing it are at far greater risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
The Role of Parents and Caregivers
The key isn’t just turning screens off—but helping young people build healthy digital habits. Experts from the Child Mind Institute and McLean Hospital recommend: Teaching teens to recognize and manage compulsive behaviors
Creating device-free routines (especially before bed).
Modeling mindful, balanced social media use.
Encouraging offline friendships, creativity, and physical activity.
A Balanced Approach
While social media can offer connection, creativity, and support especially for marginalized teens—the risks grow when use becomes emotionally driven or habitual. Supporting children in setting healthy boundaries and understanding their motivations can help them build a more balanced and resilient relationship with social media.
What is “Wait Until 8th”?
The "Wait Until 8th" movement is a growing effort among parents to delay giving children smartphones and especially access to social media until at least 8th grade. The idea is simple: if families wait together, the pressure on individual kids (and parents) decreases Parents sign a pledge and work with others in their community or school to create a united front
Supporters of the movement say that smartphones and social media can interfere with sleep, mental health, friendships, and learning especially in the preteen years, when kids are still developing self-regulation and social skills. By waiting until 8th grade, families hope to give kids more time to grow offline before taking on the demands and distractions of being constantly connected.
The movement isn’t about avoiding technology altogether it encourages age-appropriate, supervised tech use through shared family devices. It’s about buying time for childhood, and about making intentional, community-supported choices for kids’ well-being.
For more information, check out https://www.waituntil8th.org/
Screen Time and Social Media: Parents Can’t Do It Alone
Parents play a key role in helping kids develop healthy habits around screens, games, and social media—but they shouldn’t be expected to do it all. Today’s digital tools are designed to grab and hold attention, often encouraging kids to stay online longer, click more, and come back constantly It’s not a fair fight, especially for young brains that are still developing impulse control and emotional regulation.
To truly support kids’ well-being, we need changes beyond the home, including:
Stronger protections for children's privacy and mental health
Age verification tools that actually work
Limits on features designed to be addictive, like endless scrolling or autoplay
Clearer content moderation and transparency from social media platforms
Support for schools and communities to teach digital literacy and media awareness
Policymakers and tech companies have a responsibility to create safer, more ageappropriate digital environments. Parents can’t monitor every post or set every limit alone—especially when apps are working against them.
Celebrating Successful Advocacy!
This spring we told you, our community, about potentially devastating cuts to the Child, Youth, and Family division of the Department of Mental Health (DMH) budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. Families and youth across Massachusetts mobilized to let their local government know how they felt!
Because of YOUR advocacy, we successfully restored the DMH Child, Youth and Family Budget to $132.4 million from the $115 million proposed. By avoiding the cuts, the following services were preserved:
DMH FLEX Services for Youth
PACT-Y (Program for Assertive Community Treatment for Youth)
IRTP (Intensive Residential Treatment Programs) for 13-18 year olds
CIRT (Clinically Intensive Residential Treatment)
Certain protections for DMH Case Managers
In addition, as a result of the advocacy efforts, DMH has streamlined the admissions process for IRTP’s and the CIRT.
Your voice matters!
We appreciate the hard work families put into contacting their legislators, writing their stories, attending advocacy meetings, and continuing to build our community
Family Mental Health Matters!
(FAA) serves to give a voice to those parents who make change for the good of the whole. We are y before legislators, organize letter/email writing , and also keep the media updated on our plights.
Youth MOVE Massachusetts
Youth MOVE Massachusetts, in partnership with the Statewide Young Adult Council (SYAC), recently hosted a successful Young Adult Advocacy Day to educate and empower young adults across the state on the importance of youth voice and lived experience in advocacy efforts.
More than 30 young people attended the event, where they heard from speakers who shared insights on legislative advocacy and the impact of youth engagement. Following the presentations, participants actively applied what they learned by creating their own advocacy materials. They wrote letters and made phone calls to their legislators about specific legislation they were passionate about, contributed to a collaborative art project to express what advocacy meant to them, and developed social media content to inspire their peers to get involved in mental health advocacy. Given the strong turnout, Youth MOVE MA and SYAC are excited about the possibility of making this an annual event to continue building youth-led advocacy across Massachusetts!
Youth participants made social media content!
Youth MOVE MA is also excited to announce the launch of our Discord server starting August 4th. YMM has created a Discord server for young adults to have a safe space to connect with YMM staff and other youth! Our goal is to build an online community where you can share experiences, exchange resources, and support one another Whether you’re looking to make new friends, find peer support, or just hang out in a welcoming and judgment-free space, our server is here for you!
Screenshot of YMM’s Discord server
PPAL’s Central Mass Area Update
Families had a wonderful time this June at our Wards Berry Farm event, where laughter and connection filled the day From jumping in the bouncy house and picking strawberries together in the fields to a relaxing hayride and a shared meal, it was a memorable experience for all. We also spent a sun-soaked day at Breezy Picnic Grounds Waterslides in Douglas, enjoying the water, sand, and plenty of fun.
A huge shout out and a massive THANK YOU to the Central MA DMH office for funding these amazing family-driven events.
Alongside these exciting gatherings, PPAL has remained committed to supporting families one-on-one and through our daily groups, while also connecting at community events like Red Sox outings and more. Be sure to join our mailing list and our Transition Age Youth Facebook group to stay in the loop on everything happening in the region!
PPAL staff + families picking strawberries and having a blast!
We’re thrilled to welcome Dani Rogers as the new Central MA Manager at PPAL. Dani brings a wealth of lived experience and fresh perspective to our dedicated team.
Looking ahead, we have even more on the horizon, including a fun-filled family event at X-Treme Craze in Foxborough, so stay tuned for details! We're launching a new in-person support group in August at our Westborough office on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 12:30–2:00 PM and the 4th Wednesday from 6:30–8:00 PM. Plus, we’ll be out in the community for National Night Out and various back-to-school events This fall, we’re excited to bring back Active Parenting of Teens, and we'll also offer our My Child Won’t Go to School: What Now? training at the end of August. Wishing you all a joyful and relaxing summer!
Multicultural Outreach Update
The Roxbury Open Streets event on July 12, 2025 turned Blue Hill Avenue into a car-free community space filled with music, games, performances, food trucks, and activities for all ages. Open Streets Roxbury is part of a city initiative to celebrate and strengthen neighborhood connections each summer Local businesses and organizations set up along the avenue, connecting with families and offering resources.
PPAL took part in the event, sharing information and raising awareness about mental health. Our presence helped families access support and highlighted the importance of mental wellness in the community.
Johana Rodriguez, PPAL’s Multicultural Outreach Program Manager, and her son at Roxbury Open Streets 2025
National Night Out
This year, PPAL actively participated in National Night Out events in Worcester, Brookline, Medford, and Newton. National Night Out is an annual community-building event that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Held in communities across the country, the event encourages residents to come together, strengthen relationships, and build safer neighborhoods.
At each location, PPAL was present to spread information and raise awareness about mental health, supporting families and communities with valuable resources and advocacy Our involvement helped shine a spotlight on the importance of mental wellness as a key part of community safety and connection.
PPAL Family Support Specialists Zaida Gomez & Zack LaVergne teamed up to table at National Night Out
Johana Rodriguez, PPAL’s Multicultural Outreach Program Manager, and a PPAL Parent Volunteer
Community Corkboard
Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free webinar
Connecting with Care: Essential Communication Skills for Mental Health Caregivers
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM
In this webinar, Dr Chris Segrin will guide you through four real-world scenarios caregivers often face when supporting loved ones through depression You’ll learn practical communication techniques for discussing depression symptoms, navigating conversations about professional help, using de-escalation strategies, and addressing trauma-related challenges with sensitivity.
Register to join for a live webinar discussion or watch on demand after it airs.
“Communication is merely an exchange of information, but connection is an exchange of our humanity.”
-Sean Stephenson
August 2025 August 2025
