WEST CHESTER — Help!

You are young, fighting mental illness and your parents can’t afford insurance or you are on medical assistance.

Leslie Holt, founder and director of A Child’s Light is there to help while working toward a solution.

Leslie Holt looks at a photo of her late daughter who was an inspiration for A Child’s Light. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)

A Child’s Light funds trauma-informed, private mental health treatment for children ages 2-18 and has served 150 children to access long-term treatment.

“ACL funds kids who have been victims of sexual or physical violence, trafficking, loss of parents to fentanyl poisoning and other life-altering trauma,” Holt said Tuesday morning during an interview at the new offices of A Child’s Light at 1444 Phoenixville Pike, in a cottage located on the property adjacent to Treehouse World.

A Child’s Light has been operational since 2019 and opened the doors to the new office in June of 2023.

The 501(c)3 not-for-profit serves families from the Pottstown to Parkesburg areas and everywhere in between.

A great place for therapy at A Child’s Light. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIAENEWS GROUP)

ACL partners with therapists who understand the huge need for childhood mental health providers and the challenges families in Chester County face. With a waitlist approaching two years, Holt has developed another business model to help children who have suffered the worst types of abuse.

“Severe trauma is life-altering and our children and community deserve more,” she said. “We are investing in our kids.”

Holt knows of what she practices. She was a victim’s advocate for five years and was able to see firsthand the inefficiencies in the systems in place to help little victims.

Needy kids receive therapy at A Child’s Light. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)

“This is not something specific to Chester County,” she said. “Across the US there is a childhood mental health crisis.”

Holt’s personal and professional life coincided with her own daughter’s sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted friend who bought her alcohol when she was 14 and encouraged her to drink to blackout. This one incident changed her daughter’s life forever.

Suffering from the attack and chronic Lyme disease pain, her daughter was poisoned by 3 methyl-fentanyl given to her without her knowledge and died. The daughter’s death was instrumental in the development of A Child’s Light and in her passion for helping little ones who suffered as she had from abuse.

“Seeing my daughter bravely struggle, I don’t want any other children to struggle as my daughter did,” Holt said.

The Phoenixville Pike facility hosts the Great Room where support groups and therapists meet with families. A huge picture window looks out onto Valley Creek and a whimsical treehouse can be seen from the backyard. The facility with much natural sunlight is located down a driveway in the back of Treehouse World. Wood floors and beams welcome clients and staff.

The Stone Room is a comfy, private space for one-on-one therapy and looks out to an abundance of beautiful mature trees.

“This is the type of environment that kids should come to for therapy!” Holt said while talking about the faculty in general. “Isn’t this space warm and inviting and not at all like a regular therapist’s office?

“What child wouldn’t want to come to therapy here?”

Plans call for adding art therapy in the fall, at a sun-filled room opening to a slate patio along with music therapy and boxing for empowerment and building self-esteem.

A Child’s Light is excited to welcome other children, while other professionals serve in the building, including Confident Parenting, 2BeSocial, and Imago OT, to its second floor.

A Child’s Light is honored to be the designated recipient of proceeds raised by this year’s Paoli Blues Fest on Sept. 30 at Wilson Farm Park. This event is open to all with food trucks and there will be activities for kids from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information and to support A Child’s Light, go to www.childslight.com or call 610-405-2968.

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People’s physical and mental health could be affected by Maui wildfires

Dangerous wildfires — fueled by dry conditions and strong winds — are continuing to sweep across Maui, ravaging the small Hawaiian island.

At least 55 people have been killed and a majority of the historic town of Lahaina, which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, has been destroyed, according to officials.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Gov. Josh Green called the wildfires “likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii’s state history.”

MORE: Where do Maui evacuees go after losing homes in the Hawaii wildfires?

But the impacts go beyond evacuations and damaged buildings. Experts say the fires are also affecting residents’ and tourists’ physical health and could have impacts on their mental health.

Small particles from smoke can travel into lungs

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of gases, pollutants and particles that people can inhale, penetrating the lungs and even entering the bloodstream. Perhaps the biggest concern is fine particulate matter.

Fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, which is 30 times smaller in diameter than a human hair, is of particular concern.

PHOTO: A view of a triage center set up by Maui Memorial Hospital to treat victims of the Maui wildfires in Wailuku, Hawaii, Aug. 9, 2023. (Marco Garcia/Reuters)

Because these particles are too small to be seen with the naked eye, they can easily enter the nose and throat and can travel to the lungs, with some of the smallest particles even circulating in the bloodstream, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

PM2.5 can cause both short-term health effects, even for healthy people, including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; sneezing; and shortness of breath. Conditions such as asthma and heart disease can become worse.

It doesn’t just affect people who are nearby, but also those who are thousands of miles away, said Dr. Kai Chen, an assistant professor of environmental health at Yale’s School of Public Health.

“We saw that evidence actually just two months ago. [Smoke from] the Canadian wildfires in Quebec impacted us here in New Haven, New York City and then further south to D.C.,” he told ABC News. “The reason we’re having so many frequent wildfires is climate change,” Chen said. “Climate change is literally like fuel to the fire.”

Wildfires can increase rates of anxiety, depression

In addition to physical health, there are also mental health impacts. Research has shown wildfires and the subsequent smoke can lead to increased rates of anxiety and depression and become worse among people who already have these conditions.

MORE: Maui’s cultural, historic landmarks damaged in the devastating wildfires

Dr. Steve Berkowitz, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, said wildfires and other natural disasters may also impact the ability of people with mental health conditions to receive care.

“After [Hurricane] Sandy in New York, one the biggest issues was getting people their methadone because all the clinics are closed,” he told ABC News.

Additionally, people can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can include intrusive thoughts and nightmares. Leaving mental health disorders untreated can have devastating consequences.

“People who develop any of these issues are at very high risk for suicide,” Berkowitz said. “People with PTSD or any of these trauma-related disorders will often be more irritable, have angry outbursts and that can lead to physical aggression and issues. Substance dependence is not an uncommon outcome of this.”

Avoidance is another hallmark of PTSD, but Berkowitz said this is not something that necessarily needs to be treated because it can be a coping mechanism.

PHOTO: A view of damage cause by wildfires in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 10, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. (Senator Brian Schatz Via Instagr/via Reuters)

“If avoidance is working, we don’t want to mess with it,” he said. “If it works, it works.”

Hospitals caring for patients

Hospitals on and around Maui say they have been caring for patients for burns, smoke inhalation and other fire-related injuries.

Dr. Art Chasen, trauma medical director at Maui Memorial Medical Center, described to ABC News what it’s been like treating patients who have been injured by the devastating wildfires.

He said staff saw about 40 patients throughout Tuesday night and into the morning. Chasen described a fireman who had become seriously injured while trying to save people from a burning structure.

“He just kept going back until he ran out of oxygen,” Chasen said. “He ended up somehow taking off his mask and collapsing in the fire. His fellow firefighters went in and rescued him. He had severe burns on his legs at the scene He coded, his heart hard stopped and so he received CPR for three to five minutes…and they brought him back and he was in our ICU overnight.”

The fireman was transferred to Queen’s Medical Center in Oahu. In total, nine patients were transferred to Queen’s and Straub Medical Center, also in Oahu.

Maui Memorial has seen about 60 patients total as of Friday morning, and Chasen expects a second wave of injured patients now that roads are reopening, but insisted that the hospital is not overwhelmed or struggling to accommodate patients.

People’s physical and mental health could be affected by Maui wildfires originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

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The Ricks family makes conversations about emotions and mental health a regular part of their day. As their kids grow and begin to explore social media, the couple is confident that their kids will come to them if they see something concerning online.

Concerns continue to grow about the impact social media use has on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. According to a new national survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the On Our Sleeves Movement For Children’s Mental Health, half (50%) of parents of children younger than 18 feel their children’s mental health has suffered during the past 12 months because of social media use.

To best understand how social media is impacting their children’s mental health, On Our Sleeves encourages parents and caregivers to sit down and have regular conversations with their children about how using certain social media platforms can make them feel.

Protecting the mental health of children online has also become a conversation outside of the home and on the national level. Between April 2022 and April 2023, platforms like TikTok have introduced new safety measures and some state lawmakers have enacted bills that would limit user access to social media.

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This is a positive step, but parents can’t trust that this is enough. Social media has the ability to increase anxiety and depression in children when used inappropriately, as well as potentially open them up to inappropriate sharing, hurtful language, bullying and more.

However, not all social media is bad. It can help in building a sense of community, relationships and self-understanding. Yet, during the past year, the survey shows the number of Americans who say children’s use of social media has a positive influence on their mental health has fallen to just over one-third (35%), a drop from 43% in 2022. In an increasingly digital world, it’s important for parents and caregivers to understand the pros and cons of social media use and work to maintain open communication about what children are experiencing online.

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We suggest being curious about what children are doing on social media. Take an active role in their social media engagement, instead of simply limiting their exposure, can help them feel comfortable to ask questions, report concerns and seek help when they need it.

It’s also important for parents to encourage open communication at home and model healthy social media behaviors, such as putting their own phones away at the dinner table or while spending time with friends and family. Parents can lead by example and give children the opportunity to practice having open, back-and-forth conversations.

Experts say families who watch social media content together and set clear guidelines for use can help keep the lines of communication open to address potential negative impacts on children’s mood and self-esteem.

Often, what we’re seeing is that if children don’t have these early practices with parents and loved ones, they may go on to struggle as young adults with various life scenarios, such as speaking with their boss, talking to a professor or even communicating with partners and friends.

Unfortunately, fewer parents say they’re comfortable having conversations with their kids about mental health, a drop of 5 percentage points from 91% in 2022 to 86% in 2023. To facilitate these conversations, consistent and open communication is essential. On Our Sleeves provides parents and caregivers with free, easy-to-follow guides and tools to start conversations about what’s happening on social media and strategies on how to set boundaries and keep them safe. Experts recommend:

• Asking kids to show you their favorite video, channel, or online influencer and following up with open-ended questions.

• Developing a family social media plan to minimize conflict, support good choices, and address misuse. On Our Sleeves has a template that can be modified to meet each family’s needs.

• Talking to your kids about how to seek help from a trusted adult if they feel like something unsafe is happening and discussing which parental controls and settings will be in place for social media use and why.

The balance between allowing children to explore social media while avoiding potentially dangerous aspects can be difficult. Through On Our Sleeves, parents can work to build trusting relationships that allow their children to reap the benefits of social media while minimizing the risk of negative outcomes.

For more information and resources to start conversations with children about safely using social media, visit WolfsonChildrens.com/OnOurSleeves.

Andrews

Hoet

Terrie Andrews, Ph.D., is vice president of Baptist Behavioral Health in Jacksonville. Dr. Ariana Hoet, Ph.D., is clinical director of On Our Sleeves and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

This guest column is the opinion of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Learn the risks and benefits of social media use for children

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A new ‘scam’ has come to light in the Manik Bazar panchayat of Sonamukhir block of Bankura district in which fake loans have been taken in the name of women of the region.

As per available information, loans worth Rs 6 crore have been accounted for in the name of women self-help groups. While this scam started in 2018, it accelerated during the COVID lockdown.

Allegedly, a section of women leaders associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is said to be involved. They are the ones looking after government-controlled self-help groups.

The affected women alleged that some bank officials were also involved.

“Thousands of women from economically-poor backgrounds worry about how they would repay the money that they did not borrow in the first place,” Parul Ray, an older woman from Narayan Sundari village who makes a living by selling the leaves she collects from a nearby forest, told this writer.

Madhuri Pal, a domestic worker from Brajarajpur, shared Ray’s concern.

The affected women have organised several demonstrations. As a result, the administration acted and arrested two key accused, Bhagyabati Mal and Choitali Dey, on April 20. Both are allegedly linked with TMC.

Inspector in-charge (IC) Sonamukhi police station Surya Chitta Bhattacharya told this writer, “We have taken the case seriously, and the administration will take immediate action.”

The extent of the alleged scam is wider than Manik Bazar. Gram panchayats in other parts of the Bankura districts have also been allegedly affected,

Meeting of self help group Sonamukhi Manik Bazaar.

The self-help groups (SHGs) were established in 2006 by an amendment in the West Bengal Rule of Business (notification no. 196, Home Cons.).

Most SHGs were formed to ensure better financial security among their members, especially the uplift of economically-poor women. They typically constitute 10-20 members, including women and unemployed youth. The members are trained to make them self-reliant.

Over the last decade, the importance of SHGs has decreased. Rather than the earlier focus on training, SHGs are now only tasked with lending money to their members.

“Many group members allege they were unaware of the loans taken in their names,” Ajit Ray, former MLA from Sonamukhi, told this writer.

“There are 57,356 SHGs in the Bankura district. The Central government covered them under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). The TMC government named them ‘Anandadhara’,” said an officer of the District Rural Development Cell (DRDC) Bankura. DRDC regulates SHGs.

The officer further said 32,979 women SHGs had been loaned Rs 874 crore in the Bankura district. These loans have been given per a specific grading.

After forming an SHG, the group has to follow five principal rules. These are, regular meetings, regular savings, internal loaning, timely repayment, and proper bookkeeping. The working stage of SHGs involves saving and lending, bank linkage, and income generation.

After forming a group, Rs 15,000 is given as a revolving fund to the group account by DRDC. The department evaluates the group on five principal rules after six months. If the evaluation is positive, the group reaches the first grade.

“After the first grading, a group can loan Rs 1,50,000 from the bank. During the second grading, the amount increases to Rs 2,50,000. By the fourth grading, the group can loan up to Rs 6,00,000,” a Punjab National Bank (Sonamukhi branch) official told this writer.

As per the rules, the group members must repay the loan at 7% interest; if the loan money is repaid within a specific period, they get a 4% interest subsidy.

After forming an SHG, sub-groups (upasangha) are constituted by two members of each group. Then sangha (apex body of SHGs) gets elected by sub-group members. The sangha is responsible for monitoring the work of SHGs in a specific gram panchayat.

On behalf of the sangha, CSPs (community service providers) look after group loans.

“The elections for sanghas were not done democratically. The people of the ruling party have taken over SHGs by force. No opposition face was allowed to contest. In such circumstances, the sanghas appointed women cadre of TMC as CSPs,” alleged Subrata Chatterjee, a labour leader.

“The seeds of corruption have been planted in Sonamukhi. The district administration knows everything but is yet to take action. The Central government gives each sangha an annual grant of Rs 18-40 lakh to set up a small business or industry to empower women. How is that money being spent? Where are these businesses? Are women even involved?” Chatterjee further told this writer.

In response to these questions, a DRDC officer said the department sends proposals to the state government for approval.

“Several sanghas of Bankura district have received the money. We do not count how many projects have started. All sanghas (10) of the Sonamukhi block have received around Rs 26-40 lakh. From the Central fund, various types of equipment were bought for mushroom cultivation; sheds were constructed, but no work was done there,” he told this writer.

It has been alleged that DRDC pressures the block administration to open more SHGs to show that women are self-reliant.

“Corruption is increasing through this system,” said Manoj Chakraborty, a resident.

The extent of corruption in Manik Bazar SHGs is said to be “unparalleled”. Several group members allege that lakhs of rupees have been loaned in their name.

“We found this month that we were scammed. In 2012, we created Jaiguru women’s SHG. We have never taken any loans. Still, a loan worth Rs 5 lakh has been shown in our name,” alleged Sharmistha Mandal, a group member.

Mandal and other group members were unaware of this loan until their PNB bank accounts were closed in March.

During a demonstration in Manik Bazar, group members told this writer that the resolution book and cheque book were with two CSP members. They alleged that these CSP members used to take them to the bank to withdraw money. They said they were also asked to sign two-three cheques. Later, they alleged, the money was withdrawn in their name by using those cheques without their knowledge.

These SHG members have accused two persons – Mal and Dey — for scamming them. They also suspect that some PNB persons are also involved in the alleged scam.

Suchorita Ray Pratihar, a member of the Krishna Anandashara group, said she loaned Rs 50,000 in September 2021. She was informed that a loan of Rs 40,000 was taken in her name in the same month, and another loan was taken in July 2022. These loans were taken by forging her signature.

The same ‘scam’ has happened to hundreds of women. Even after contacting their respective banks, they said their passbooks were not updated.

The writer covers the Bankura region for the ‘Ganashakti’ newspaper in West Bengal.

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