Simply Healthcare and Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Launch SimplyHealthyMinds.com to Support Children's Mental Health

Simply Healthcare, in partnership with the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP), launched today SimplyHealthyMinds.com, a toolkit of resources to help children, families, healthcare providers and others navigate mental health challenges facing children.

"Simply Healthcare is committed to supporting the whole health of Florida's kids?their physical, mental and emotional health," said Holly Prince, President of Simply Healthcare Medicaid Plan. "SimplyHealthyMinds.com will serve as a trusted source of information on mental health and programs that are available to help kids and families navigate mental health challenges and find appropriate treatment. We are pleased to partner with the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics in this important mission to improve the lives of the people we are so privileged to serve."

"There are real consequences when children who need support don't have access to it," said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, President, Florida Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics. "That's why we wanted to make it easy to find the resources available and help Floridians navigate the challenges of mental health struggles among children."

The Simply Healthy Minds toolkit is available at a pivotal time, when children are returning to school, but still face the risk of COVID-19. In addition, September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, an opportunity for families to consider the devastating consequences that could result from mental health struggles left unaddressed. The Simply Healthy Minds toolkit provides resources to help kids, families, healthcare providers and others navigate mental health challenges facing kids.

The goals of SimplyHealthyMinds.com are to support children by breaking down barriers, increasing understanding of mental health and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness and improving access to resources and care.

At SimplyHealthyMinds.com, users can find a variety of resources to support mental health in children, including:

• Guidelines for parents to talk to teens;
• Conversation starters for parents to talk with children;
• Journal entry prompts to help children express their feelings in writing;
• Access to local community assistance programs by searching zip codes; and
• Suicide prevention hotline.

The resources are curated by Simply Healthcare in partnership with the FCAAP, a trusted organization for the health and well-being of children in Florida. The online toolkit is the result of a partnership between the two organizations to pursue initiatives toward their common mission of caring for children in Florida.

Both organizations recognize the growing need to support children struggling with mental health issues.

According to Jed Foundation Report: Fluent Family Wellbeing Study, 60% of parents report that children have experienced distress during the last year. Since COVID began, Florida experienced a 30% increase in Baker Acts ? the action of committing an individual to a mental health treatment center ? among kids ages 12 to 17.

In addition, the findings of the inaugural State of the Nation's Mental Health, a report issued in May by Simply Healthcare's parent company, showed that while more people, including children, reported increased pandemic-related stress and anxiety last year, there was not a corresponding increase in diagnoses and treatment.

Mental health problems can affect many areas of children's lives, including their happiness, physical health and academic performance.

Visit SimplyHealthyMinds.com to find the guidelines, best practices and local programs.

About Simply Healthcare

Simply Healthcare is a Managed Care Plan that offers plans in Florida for residents eligible for Medicaid, Medicare and Florida Healthy Kids benefits. To learn more, visit www.simplyhealthcareplans.com.

About FCAAP

Through its more than 2,500 members, the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the health & welfare of Florida's children and supports pediatricians & pediatric specialists as the best qualified providers of their healthcare. Learn more by visiting www.fcaap.org.