Entries by Youth First
Establishing a Smooth Transition from Home to School
By Lisa Glahn, MSW, LCSW – January 7, 2026 – Returning to school after a break can be challenging for many students, especially after longer vacations such as winter or summer break. Typically, the longer a student is away from school, the more challenging it is for them to get back into their school routine. […]
Kids Benefit When We Ring in the New Year with Self-Care
By Camryn Cater, MSW, LSW – December 31, 2025 – When traveling by plane, we always hear the flight attendants say, “In an emergency, put the oxygen mask on yourself before putting it on your child.” This is to ensure the adult’s safety so they can take care of the child accompanying them. Parents tend […]
Make Time to Connect with Your Child
By Hannah Smith-Quirey, MSW, LCSW – December 22, 2025 – When it comes to parenting, connection is essential. A strong bond helps your child feel loved, valued, seen, and heard. This doesn’t mean challenges and disagreements won’t arise – those moments are a normal part of any relationship. However, when a solid connection is in […]
Holiday Stress and Your Anxious Child
By Brooke Skipper, MSW, LCSW – December 17, 2025 – It’s that time of year: no school, sweet treats, presents, and parties…You might think this is every kid’s dream! If you have a child with anxiety, however, you know this combination can be a huge trigger. While a long school vacation might feel like a […]
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Awards $20,000 to Youth First
Grant to Provide Mental Health Support and Substance Misuse Prevention for Youth in Evansville Catholic Diocese Schools [Evansville, IN] Youth First, Inc. is celebrating a $20,000 grant award from Ascension St. Vincent Evansville for Youth First mental health services and prevention programs in partner schools throughout the Catholic Diocese of Evansville. The check presentation […]
How to Talk to Children About Their Friends’ Mental Health
By Britney Wagler, MSW, LCSW – Dec. 11, 2025 – Our children often look to us for answers. Sometimes, when it comes to mental health, we don’t know what to say or how to support them. According to the 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book, 35.7% of students in 7th-12th grade reported that in the past […]
From a Pen to a Boat: How a Local High School Senior Raised $2,000 for Youth First
By Julie Hoon, VP of Marketing & Communications – December 4, 2025 – Eighteen-year-old high school senior Wesley never expected that starting with a simple pen would lead to a $2,600 donation to Youth First. After launching a 72-hour challenge on his YouTube channel, he selected Youth First as the recipient of whatever funds he […]
How to Respond When Children Lie
By Lizzie Raben, MSW, LSW – November 19, 2025 – It can be so difficult to understand why teenagers – or children of any age – lie to us. Sometimes the lies feel especially frustrating because they seem so small or unnecessary, leaving us wondering why they weren’t simply honest in the first place. Why […]