Pembroke Pines, FL (February 8, 2022) – As part of a free and award-winning series, parents/guardians of school-age children, educators and youth advocates are invited to a special virtual presentation, “Raising Positive Children: Social Media’s Impact on Youth’s Mental Health.” It will be held on the City’s YouTube channel (Pembroke Pines Media) on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
The special guest speaker will be Dr. Steve Arcidiacono, a Florida licensed psychologist who is currently treating children and families with both emotional and behavioral concerns at Boys Town South Florida’s Behavioral Health Clinic. For over a decade, Dr. Steve has provided behavioral health services to youth struggling with a wide range of problems including defiance, depression, anger, anxiety, ADHD, disrupted sleep, and family conflict. Dr. Steve is a published author of research articles examining preventative interventions for youth mental health such as improved fitness and sleep. He has also engaged audiences in the community, at professional conferences, and through television appearances, on topics including bullying, survivor’s guilt following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy, the impact of video games on children, coping with high school stress, screen time management, and parenting through the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining Dr. Steve will be Dr. Laura Cruz, a licensed psychologist and Director of the Student Assistance Program (SAP) for the City of Pembroke Pines Charter Schools, as moderator of the forum, and members of our community including educators, police and students.
As social media impacts all aspects of our lives and can have demoralizing consequences on both children and families if used incorrectly, this interactive forum will explore the impact of social media on youth’s mental health, what parents can do to prevent their children from experiencing harmful social media content, new applications of concern, how to manage screen time limits for their children, how to navigate the challenges of dealing with disturbing social media messages, mental health risks from heavy social media usage and much more.
This is the ninth in a series of presentations hosted by Pembroke Pines Commissioner Iris A. Siple, West Campus Charter School Principal Michael Castellano, the Education Roundtable Forum and the City of Pembroke Pines to call attention to and find solutions for the many issues parents and children face today at home and at school.
“Social media is a big part of life for many teenagers and children,” said Pembroke Pines Commissioner Iris A. Siple. “There can be benefits, but we must also be cognizant of the risks associated with social media use on our children such as cyber-bullying, depression, isolation, loneliness and safety. That’s why we felt it important to share with our community information that will help our youth use the internet in a safe, responsible and positive way, and open the line of communication among parents, schools and students regarding risks online.”
While this presentation is appropriate for all ages, parents should use their own discretion in determining the suitability of the topic/discussion for their children.
The community is encouraged to learn more about the City of Pembroke Pines’ latest Events by subscribing to Pines Media on YouTube, by reading the city’s newspaper City Connect, or by checking the City’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofpembrokepines, and @cityofppines for Twitter and Instagram. Residents with Comcast can view Pembroke Pines Media programming on Channel 78, and residents with AT&T U-Verse can view programming on Channel 99 and click on Pembroke Pines TV.
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