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Recent studies have exposed the benefit—even necessity—of spending time outdoors, both for kids and adults. Some argue that it can be any outdoor environment. Some claim it has to be a "green" environment—one with trees and leaves. Others still have shown that just a picture of greenery can benefit mental health. These nuances aside, most of the studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. While it's unclear how exactly the cognitive functioning and mood improvements occur, there are a few things we do know about why nature is good for kids' minds.

Participants at the 4th Annual Beautiful Minds Walk look toward the sky Saturday after releasing balloons marked with the names of friends and family members who struggle with mental illness or have committed suicide as a result of mental illness.

Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.

1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.

We love music and are committed to music education, within our community and beyond. This website, in conjunction with our live performances, provides a great way for people of all ages to hear, learn, and have fun with music. Consider this site your premier web destination for learning about music -- that's why it's here! And, if you'd like to share this site with others, send them a postcard. We hope you enjoy the SFS Kids' Site and we encourage you to visit time and time again!

With the summer just a month away parents are starting to feel the heat. Kids will be out of school and the challenge of providing a structured and fun summer are weighing heavily on the minds of parents. To make you a little less worried Netbuddy has collected 19 tips from parents of children with special needs on who to get through the summer break.

Helena will play host to documentary dealing with mental illness. The film about the stigma of bi-polar disorder will debut free of charge on Wednesday night in Helena. The film, sponsored by NAMI-Helena and Carroll College is called "Of Two Minds."

1.  If your child is exhibiting new behavioral problems that are interfering with their ability to access the curriculum; your school may need to implement a Behavior Support Plan to extinguish the negative or off task behavior. 2.  If your child is struggling academically in the first semester, don’t wait until second semester to address the problem.  If you have to request new assessments; keep in mind the timeline from the day you authorized the assessments.  The school has 60 days* in which to conduct the assessments and hold an IEP, so if you wait until second semester, the school year might be coming to an end; basically, your child has lost the entire year.  * Some States have different timelines so please check the timelines in your State. 3.  If your child will be attending Kindergarten, Middle School or High School the following year; you need to know all the areas of strengths and weaknesses to help them transition into the next phase of their education. 4.  If your child has been bullied in school, you need to make sure there is a safety plan implemented to protect your child from harm.  In addition, your child should know the name of the school personnel they can approach if the situation arises again; providing a safe place in the school environment. 5.  If your child’s placement is no longer working, do not wait to address this problem; otherwise, your child may lose an entire year of academics. 6.  If your child has been suspended repeatedly for behavioral problems, do not wait until the school is about to expel your child from the district.  Call an IEP to discuss changes in the Behavior Support Plan or ask for additional assessments immediately such as a Functional Behavior Assessment. 7.  If your child has been assigned an Aide that is not experienced enough to prevent your child from eloping, you need to call an IEP as soon as possible to request a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) or additionally training for the Aide.  Remember, every time your child leaves the classroom they are not being educated! 8.  If your child is experiencing depression, lack of self-worth, anxiety…etc.  You should call an IEP and request a Social/Emotional Assessment for in-school counseling.  If your child already has in-school counseling and that’s not working then you need to request an Educationally Related Mental Health Assessment to address these issues before they escalate into more serious behavior. 9.  If the services you agreed to at your child’s last IEP meeting are not working, you need to call an IEP to ask your school to increase the amount of services, or file for Due Process if you feel it’s necessary to take the matter directly to the school district. 10. If the School has not been following your child’s IEP; therefore, is out of compliance, call an IEP right away to allow the school to remedy the situation.  If they are not willing to rectify the situation then you need to either file for Due Process or file a complaint with the State Department of Education.

Has anyone ever given you a serious look that says unequivocally, “You have absolutely lost your mind?” I have.  Several times.  Yes, recently. I guess I’ve earned it with my hair styled by a 6 year old, dark under-eye circles and wrinkled clothes that never seem to fit quite right.  And then there’s my questionable behavior in public – as the parent of a child with special needs, I often find myself breaking social norms. These are some of the circumstances in which I’ve been on the receiving end of “that look.”

“Who needs caffeine when I can have adrenaline-fueled adventures all day and all night?” That’s what I used to say when my son was little.  By 1 or 2 pm on most days, my hands started trembling from the constant stream of adrenaline. My mind was always on alert because my hyperactive son was an escape artist with a knack for getting himself into dangerous situations.  I had to think quickly on the run.

Check out these seven great TED talks.

Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds

Alicia Arenas: Recognizing Glass Children

Being able to focus, hold, and work with information in mind, filter distractions, and switch gears is like having an air traffic control system at a busy airport to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. In the brain, this air traffic control mechanism is called executive functioning, a group of skills that helps us to focus on multiple streams of information at the same time, and revise plans as necessary.

The Autism Internet Modules were developed with one aim in mind: to make comprehensive, up-to-date, and usable information on autism accessible and applicable to educators, other professionals, and families who support individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Written by experts from across the U.S., all online modules are free, and are designed to promote understanding of, respect for, and equality of persons with ASD.

You can download the registration form here!What:The social communication and social thinking needs of individuals on the Autism Spectrum are often the most challenging aspects of parenting, treating, and teaching this population. This workshop will address numerous intervention strategies highlighting methods and materials available from leading experts in the area of social language. The presenters will provide detailed information, video demonstrations, and materials that will enhance the attendee's abilities to help children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome improve social interaction, perspective taking, and other Theory of Mind issues.When:March 17, 20129:00 am - 1:00 pmWhere:College of TechnologyGreat Room - Health and Sciences Building3803 Central AvenueBillings, MT 59102Contact:Nancy or VickiPhone: (406) 256-7148Email: vlandre@bresnan.netThis event is sponsored by Region III CSPD

When, at age 3, my son received a medical diagnosis of autism, my husband and I received a list of intensive treatments that we needed to initiate as quickly as possible and a pep talk saying that if we did these things there was a good chance we could “fix him.” As a mother, I was terrified. Images of Rain Man filled my mind, quickly followed by painful memories of security officers trying to restrain my beloved 350-pound adult autistic patient during a violent meltdown. As a physician and researcher, I did what I was best trained to do—I quickly took charge of the situation, scheduled consultations with every type of therapist in the city, and immersed myself in the autism literature. But I soon realized that expert opinions clashed greatly, there were no easy answers, and the evidence in support of the various therapies was extremely limited.