Canopy Children’s Solutions (Canopy) will help raise awareness among lawmakers about innovative solutions to help support children’s mental health, child welfare and education during its annual Day at the Capitol. The event will be held on March 4, 2020, in the Mississippi State Capitol Rotunda from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
“The most important health care issue of our time is mental health and the most important time to intervene is with children,” said John D. Damon, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer for Canopy. “The research is clear, the earlier we intervene and place children and their families on a trajectory toward success, the higher chance we have of reducing or avoiding long-term emotional, financial and physical costs we see if left untreated. Canopy believes that given the right tools and resources, every child can be a success story.”
During the 2019 legislative session, HB 1613 – The Children’s Promise Act – was passed with bipartisan support to help generate additional revenue for nonprofit child welfare providers from private individuals and corporate entities. The impact of that legislation allowed Canopy to reach more at-risk children across the state to implement those early intervention measures and step into the gaps where help was needed most. In 2019, Canopy served more than 5,400 youth across the state.
“Canopy Children’s Solution is one of Mississippi’s oldest and most trusted children’s providers, offering solutions to the most vexing issues facing Mississippi families since 1912,” said Damon. “Our work isn’t about simply treating symptoms. By addressing the underlying cause of disruptive behaviors, children are receiving more appropriate care to learn to cope with stressors, understand emotions and appropriately handle interpersonal issues without violence. This is particularly important for youth in foster care because of the trauma they experience through their environment and through separation. Studies have shown 80% of those incarcerated spent time in the child welfare system at some point in their childhood, so it is important for these kids to get the right help, at the right time helping circumvent greater challenges down the road. ”
Damon will be joined by Canopy staff as well as members of its Board of Directors to discuss issues that are important to Mississippi families including child welfare, special education, mental health, and autism.
Canopy Children’s Solutions offers an open invitation for individuals to join its staff at the Capitol to learn how we can nurture our most valuable state resource—our children and families.
ABOUT CANOPY CHILDREN’S SOLUTIONS: Canopy Children’s Solutions (Canopy) offers an array of behavioral health, educational and social service solutions to children and families throughout Mississippi. For more information about programs offered through Canopy, please visit mycanopy.org or call 800-388-6247.