Growing Minds: A blueprint for families
- Chad Sievers, MSSW
- June 24, 2025
Children don’t come with instruction manuals, especially when it comes to mental health. However, our Growing Minds program guides parents to mental health resources right here in Arkansas and offers practical tips to promote positive experiences throughout all stages of childhood.
Healthy Parents Raise Healthy Kids
The Growing Minds program is available to Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield members who have dependents on their health plan. The benefits are two-fold: This program supports children’s health and well-being from infancy through the teenage years, and families gain access to resources that support the mental and behavioral health of the whole family.
Positive Parenting Toolkits
Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can help children avoid risky behavior.
Perhaps the closest thing to an instruction manual is the Positive Parenting Toolkits available for download at mymindhelp.com. These practical guides are filled with resources for parents to support their children’s mental health, including age-specific activities to nurture a child’s growth.
Positive parenting begins with four key elements: Safety, Relationships, Community, and Parental Well-being. Whether you’re navigating the early years, school-age challenges or the teen years, we have a toolkit to help. Links to outside on the mymindhelp.com website.
A Program for New Moms and Infants
The first years of life are a critical period for brain development, laying the foundation for a child’s emotional well-being. Supporting infant mental health means supporting the parent-child bond, which starts with helping new moms thrive. Maven provides essential support to moms and infants during these early stages of motherhood.
Behavioral Health Solutions
Lucet offers behavioral health solutions and case managers, as well as a program supporting children with autism. Lucet also provides an after-hours helpline at 877-801-1159, offering support when families need it most. Teladoc Mental Health Complete, another behavioral health solution, provides virtual counseling for children aged 13. To confirm benefit eligibility, please sign in or register for Blueprint Portal.
Dedicated Behavioral Health Team
Arkansas Blue Cross has a dedicated behavioral health team that includes nurses, social workers, and peer support specialists. This team is available to help navigate care and resources for families with an Arkansas Blue Cross health plan.
Support that Fits Your Needs
By understanding the importance of children’s mental health, recognizing challenges, and implementing supportive strategies, we can help them build resilience and thrive. Together, we can create a blueprint for a brighter future where every child can reach their full potential.
Are the Kids Alright?
The 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report reveals:
- Poor Mental Health: In the United States, 29% of teens experienced poor mental health in the past 30 days.
- Violence: 9% of high school students in the U.S. were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property during the past year, and 13% did not go to school because they felt unsafe.
- Bullying: The same survey found that 19% of high school students were bullied on school property and 16% were electronically bullied through texting or social media.
- Alcohol Use: The CDC shows a drop in substance use overall. 25% of female students reported having an alcoholic drink in the past 30 days, and 22% of all students reported drinking alcohol in the past month.
- Suicide: In 2023, 20% of all high school students seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year.
Despite these alarming statistics, progress is being made:
- Treatment works: Research has found that the combination of talk therapy and medication works best. A large national study found that 86% of adolescents saw improvement.
- Positive Childhood Experiences: Adults who reported
5-6 positive childhood experiences (i.e. could talk to their family about their feelings, felt safe and protected at home, etc.) had significantly lower risks of poor mental health outcomes. - Delay Alcohol Initiation: Teens whose parents set clear rules against drinking are 50% less likely to engage in heavy drinking when older.