Resiliency
Resiliency can be defined as an innate capacity that when facilitated and nurtured empowers children, youth and families to successfully meet life’s challenges with a sense of self-determination, mastery and hope. In a resiliency-oriented mental health system, the following principles are embraced:
- Resiliency is a belief and faith that all children, youth and families have strengths and are capable of overcoming challenges.
- All children have the right to hope and success starting at birth and lasting a lifetime.
- All communities and systems have a responsibility and make a commitment to nurture resiliency with all children.
- Youth and families are experts in their experiences.
- Youth and families have voice and choice in services and supports.
- A resiliency-oriented mental health system is sensitive to culture, community and values of the individual youth and family.
- Services and supports are individualized, flexibly delivered and tailored to meet the unique needs of the youth and family.
- A resiliency-oriented mental health system is affirming of youth and family with unconditional acceptance.
- In a resiliency-oriented mental health system, supports and services focus on promoting resiliency, while reducing risks and stabilizing symptoms.
- A resiliency-oriented mental health system provides access to a complete continuum of care that addresses mental health promotion, education and intervention across developmental ages and stages.
- A resiliency-oriented mental health system invests in our youth as our most valuable resources.
- Efforts to implement a resiliency-oriented mental health system need to be embedded in a community structure that supports them and sustains their effects.
(Source: Resilience Vision and Principals document at the Center for Innovative Practices)
The Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) seeks to support local mental health systems that foster resiliency at all levels of mental health care and education, including mental health promotion, prevention and intervention, with the ultimate outcome of resilient individuals, families and communities. Nurturing resiliency helps children, youth and families successfully meet life’s challenges. ODMH has created a Consensus Statement on Children’s Mental Health Resiliency to explain the importance of a resilience-oriented mental health system, as well as a Mental Health Resiliency Pyramid to demonstrate how the process operates.
Resiliency-related links and resources
Center for Innovative Practices
Ohio Federation for Children’s Mental Health
Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies
Suicide Prevention
Childhood Trauma
Children's Rights/Derechos de los Niños: in English, en Español