LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard for many people, and children and teens have had their fair share of hardships.
From the stress of remote learning to missing out on fun times with friends, the past 14 months have proven challenging for young people.
Olive Crest has been helping children and families through these difficult times. Domestic incidents have been on the rise during the pandemic. Executive Director, Jimmy Monaghan, says the negative impacts of this year's isolation can spread from one person to the rest of the family.
"Isolation is the number one cause for neglect, and so when you're isolated and you don't have that sense of community, that sense of family, that sense of help around you, it can be maddening, to say the least. I think all of us experienced some negative effects of the isolation and when we don't have the proper coping tools in place when you don't have the proper support systems in place, it can become pretty negative," Monaghan says.
Monaghan says recent research suggests that a parental figure's mental health challenges can directly correlate to a child's mental health challenges in the future. That's why it's important to get help if you need it.
"Mental health has such a bad stigma historically, but we're really seeing the shift where it is okay to say, 'Hey, you know what? I can't do this by myself, and I need some help,'" Monaghan says.
If you suspect a child is being abused, Monaghan says to look for signs of withdrawal from everyday activities. It is also common for children to have drastic changes in behavior.
Monaghan says Olive Crest's goal is to stop child abuse before it starts. The organization has programs to help families learn how to function in a healthy way. You can learn more about their programs here: https://www.olivecrest.org/
How to get help if you are a victim of domestic violence:
- The Shade Tree: https://www.theshadetree.org/
- SafeNest: https://safenest.org/
Sponsored by America First Credit Union and Subaru of Las Vegas.
