A focus on residential schools and post-pandemic challenges

In our annual residential schools special issue and directory, I’m pleased to see these important treatment resources are recovering from the challenging times of the pandemic. The pandemic created an increased demand for the services offered by these facilities, and they are still adapting to the new normal. This year, the special Residential Schools Directory is included within the middle of this issue. You can easily pull it out and keep it as a year-long resource for your clinical needs.

In this issue, we also learn that children and teens are still struggling from recovering fully from the effects of the pandemic and missing a year (or more) of traditional in-person schooling. This has impacted both their emotional health as well as their social relationships. Vaping continues to rise in teens, despite its known detrimental health effects on their developing brains and bodies. It’s a concern that deserves greater attention and action.

Elsewhere in this issue, we discover that opioid overdoses spiked last year, surprising nobody as the ramifications of a year-long pandemic lockdown took its toll on the mental health of too many Americans.

But it’s not all clouds and gray. In Massachusetts, the May Center School for Autism is a new facility that has opened in Chicopee while the Chamberlain International School in Middleboro is offering an innovative aviation program for students.

And we got late word that the Seven Hills Foundation is moving forward on the purchase of the Crotched Mountain School in New Hampshire (story to be published online). Our two new The Practical Practice columnists hit their stride, offering relevant perspectives on the nature of change and the dangers of ‘career creep.’

Everyone here at New England Psychologist hopes you enjoy this special issue. And we wish you a very Happy New Year!