Funded Projects

Teens & Trees

Project Year

2022

City & State

Irmo, South Carolina

Program Name

CATCH Implementation

Topic

Mental Health (LHI)

Program Description

"Public Health Problem: The prevalence of mental health disorders diagnosed among children and adolescents living in the US represents a serious public health challenge. The incidence of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents in the United States has increased over time. Depression impacts as many as 20% of adolescents and it is estimated that 31.9% of adolescents had any anxiety disorder. Access to mental health care services and interventions is challenging due to limited resources and a shortage of appropriately trained mental health care providers. Additionally, disparities exist with minority and low-income populations having more limited access to high quality mental health interventions. The societal stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to school closures, community lockdowns, and the resulting isolation of teens has been linked to a dramatic increase in pediatric patients experiencing anxiety and depression. In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics in October, 2021 declared a “national health emergency in children’s mental health.” Program Intervention and Rationale Teens & Trees is an 8-week program designed to improve adolescent mental health through supportive interventions by integrating increased physical activity, increasing time spent in nature, and by teaching and practicing mindfulness practices including meditation. Health promotion programs increasing time spent outdoors have been associated with positive outcomes both in children and adults. Physical activity has many health benefits for adolescents including improving mental health. Positive effects of mindfulness practices have been demonstrated for a variety of common adolescent health conditions including reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. The 8-week program would include 10-20 adolescents per 3 sessions recruited from a South Carolina suburban public middle school. Two adult chaperones, including 1 public school educator trained in mindfulness and one community volunteer, would accompany these students on school supported transportation to a local community or state park. Each week, two one-hour afterschool sessions will be conducted at a local park. The first 30 minutes will simply be a quiet walk together in the woods. The second 30 minutes will include mindfulness education and a meditation practice session led by the mindfulness educator. Each student will be encouraged to identify an adult partner (parent, guardian, or friend) with whom to walk outdoors with one other day per week and practice the mindfulness practice learned that week. SMART GOAL: to improve the mental health of South Carolina Midland’s adolescents through increasing physical activity, teaching mindfulness practices, and increasing time spent in nature. Objective 1: During the 8-week period of the program, increase physical activity of 80% of participants to 30 minutes three times per week. Activity 1: 30 min of walking in state park Tuesday and Thursday weekly for 8 weeks Activity 2: 30 min walking with parent or guardian or community adult support on weekday or weekend day Objective 2: During the 8-week program, increase outdoor exposure time of 80% of participants to 120 minutes per week. Activity 1: 1 hour in state park 2 times per week Activity 2: Weekend Tree Bathing/Walking for 30 minutes with adult support person Objective 3: During the 8-week period of the program, increase mindfulness practice among 80% of participants to 3 ten-minute sessions per week (30 min). Activity 1: Teach and practice mindfulness practices through biweekly guided meditation on Tuesday and Thursday after nature walk. Each week should focus on a different meditative practice including relaxation breathing, listening to natural sounds, tree bathing/focusing on the beauty in nature, gratitude, loving kindness mediation, body scanning, solitude, and community/friends. Activity 2: I weekend day participant should practice mindfulness with a parent, guardian, or friend for 10-20 minutes. "

Project Goal

To improve the mental health of South Carolina Midland’s adolescents through increasing physical activity, teaching mindfulness practices, and increasing time spent in nature.

Project Objective 1

During the 8-week period of the program, increase physical activity of 80% of participants to 30 minutes three times per week. Activity 1: 30 min of walking in state park Tuesday and Thursday weekly for 8 weeks Activity 2: 30 min walking with parent or guardian or community adult support on weekday or weekend day 

Project Objective 2

During the 8-week program, increase outdoor exposure time of 80% of participants to 120 minutes per week. Activity 1: 1 hour in state park 2 times per week Activity 2: Weekend Tree Bathing/Walking for 30 minutes with adult support person

Project Objective 3

During the 8-week period of the program, increase mindfulness practice among 80% of participants to 3 ten-minute sessions per week (30 min). Activity 1: Teach and practice mindfulness practices through biweekly guided meditation on Tuesday and Thursday after nature walk. Each week should focus on a different meditative practice including relaxation breathing, listening to natural sounds, tree bathing/focusing on the beauty in nature, gratitude, loving kindness mediation, body scanning, solitude, and community/friends. Activity 2: I weekend day participant should practice mindfulness with a parent, guardian, or friend for 10-20 minutes.

AAP District

District IV

Institutional Name

Irmo Middles School

Contact 1

Melinda O'Leary