Creating Connections During COVID-19

 
(Manchester April 28, 2021) - Amoskeag Health will host its 14^th Annual Morning Matters Breakfast virtually at 8:00 AM, Wednesday, May 12, 2021. For the second year, Morning Matters, traditionally a complimentary breakfast fundraiser at the DoubleTree Hotel, will be conducted via Zoom to accommodate social distancing guidelines.
Since early 2020, children and adolescents have faced mandatory social isolation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This physical separation impacts their learning environment and extracurricular activities, straining relationships between friends, teachers, and extended families. We have yet to see the long-term effects of loneliness and depression on the mental and behavioral health of our youth.
The challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic require creating new ways to connect with one another and maintain integral support systems between peers, mentors, and families. During Morning Matters 2021, Amoskeag Health will delve into the science of resiliency and address tactics to foster youth to overcome challenges brought on by social isolation.
 
Amoskeag Health delivers primary health care and wrap-around services to over 6,000 children who live in Greater Manchester. Regardless of ability to pay, children aged 0-21 have access to wellness check-ups, annual eye exams, behavioral therapy, and mental health visits. Our teens also have access to programs to learn about healthy relationships, sexuality, and positive adolescent development for physical and emotional well-being.
 
The Keynote Speaker at this year’s virtual Morning Matters is Dr. Jan McGonagle, a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric Specialist. She has worked with children for over 30 years. Through the Child Development Clinic and Complex Care Network at Amoskeag Health’s Special Medical Programs, she advises providers state-wide on treatment plans for children with complex medical conditions in order to allocate resources, coordinate medical care, and advocate for their development at home, school, and state levels.
This year’s patient speaker is a Manchester high school senior who will share how she overcame the challenges of attending school in a new country during a pandemic year.   
To cope, the young girl sought barrier-free mental health counseling at Amoskeag Health's Dr. Selma Deitch Center for Children & Teens. She is embracing her upcoming high school graduation and is accepted at Manchester Community College. This young person has no way to pay for school, not yet, but with her resiliency and the support of her Amoskeag Health counselor, her future is bright and promising.
Funds raised at Morning Matters support the pediatric services at Amoskeag Health’s Dr. Selma Deitch Center for Children and Teens (Formerly Child Health Services) that remove barriers to care and provide physical, mental, and social support services to patients like our inspirational young speaker.
This event is free and open to the public thanks to Keynote Sponsor, People’s United. A reservation is required in order to receive a link to the event. For more information and to register for Morning Matters, please visit: https://www.amoskeaghealth.org/morning-matters-2021/.
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Amoskeag Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit federally qualified health center offering high-quality, comprehensive, and family-oriented primary health care and support services since 1993. Founded in 1980, Amoskeag Health at The Dr. Selma Deitch Center for Children & Teens, formerly Child Health Services, is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of at-risk children. Through all of its programs, Amoskeag Health serves over 15,000 patients annually at four locations in Manchester. For more information visit www.amoskeaghealth.org.