May is Mental Health Awareness Month

According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children in the U.S. experience a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder, such as anxiety, ADHD, or depression.

So, if we consider those numbers, 1-2 players per every 12-player roster Little League team have or are currently experiencing a mental health issue. Depression and anxiety have increased over time, and in adolescents depression, substance use, and suicide are important concerns.

What can we, as Little League administrators, do to support our youth? Check out these great resources:

Resources from Dotcom Therapy (Little League partner):

1. How to Talk to your Children about Mental Health
2. Checking in with Children/Teens
3. Importance of Positive Self Talk
4. Supporting your Teammates
5. Mindfulness
6. Calming Strategies for a Busy Mind
7. How to Cope with Big Emotions
8. Supporting Youth over Summer Break
9. When to Consider Therapy for Your Child

Resources from Little League:    

Protecting Youth Mental Health

For Coaches:
1. Cool, Calm, Collected: Helping Players Self-Regulate (course)
2. How Coaches Can Help the Mental Health Crisis

For Parents:
1. Help! Does My Child Need Mental Health Support?
2. How to Talk to Your Little Leaguer About Online Behavior

For Players:
1. How Right Now? (How Right Now is a CDC communications campaign designed to promote and strengthen emotional well-being and resiliency.)

Infographics for Mental Health Awareness month

Mental Health Resources List

Box Breathing

1 in 5

50 percent

Basics

Good Day

Okay

Small Steps

Our goal is to provide the safest Little League experience for every player, umpire, and adult volunteer in our leagues.

Safety is the responsibility of every participant and we all work together to ensure a safe environment and to promote a culture of injury prevention and safe participation.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

• There are 2 types of background checks required in California:
• (1) All Little League volunteers, including administrators, coaches, umpires, and league volunteers (concessions, team parent, etc.) must complete an ANNUAL background check, as required by Little League (*see below). Most leagues in District 54 use J.D. Palatine (JDP) for these background checks.
• (2) The State of California, via the California Penal Code, requires Live Scan fingerprinting background checks for volunteers who are 18 years of age or older and are administrators of a youth sports organization (e.g. board members) and/or who spend 16 or more hours per month or 32 hours per year in direct contact with or supervision of children (this would include managers and coaches). Live Scan does not need to be repeated annually, however, please refer to your local league's background check policy for details regarding if and when Live Scan would need to be repeated.
• NOTE: All local leagues should have a background check policy that clearly states the league's procedures for reviewing background check results, taking action on red flags, and managing Live Scan reports.
  
  *Little League International requires all leagues and districts in the United States to conduct an annual background check, including a nationwide criminal search and a search of the National Sex Offender Registry. Little League's preferred provider, J.D Palatine, has a Criminal File database that contains more than 600 million records, including criminal and sex offender registry records covering 50 states and the District of Columbia, meeting the current Little League Regulation 1(c) 8 & 9 requirement.
  

**CA District 54 Background Check Policy
updated April 10, 2022

A SAFETY AWARENESS PLAN (ASAP)

• The ASAP is a safety manual that addresses the individual needs of the league via a minimum of 15 required elements.
• Every league submits an ASAP, or the league safety plan, every single year. 
• League ASAPs should be finished by December 31st and fully completed (meaning registration data uploaded) and uploaded to the Data Center by March 1st. 

• ASAP: A Safety Awareness Plan

• ASAP FAQs

• Submit Your Plan

SAFETY TRAINING: Annual Safety Clinic

• One manager or coach from each team is required to attend an annual safety clinic.
• Every manager and coach is required to attend AT LEAST one safety clinic every three years. All managers and coaches are encouraged to attend annually!
  
• All league members (including administrators, parents, and volunteers) are invited to attend the safety clinic.

• District 54 2024 Safety Clinic: details coming soon
• [For managers and coaches who need a certificate of completion for league records, please complete the google form provided at the end of the presentation.]
  

SAFETY TRAINING: Other Required Trainings (managers, coaches, league officials, umpires)

1. Online Concussion Training, through CDC Heads Up
2. Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Prevention Training, via Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation
3. Little League Abuse Awareness Training: this is required for ALL volunteers.
4. Little League Diamond Leader training: there is currently one course available (supplement courses are being developed). Access the training at https://www.littleleague.org/diamondleader/. Either create a new account or login to complete the training (blue buttons after 2nd paragraph on the page). **If you have already taken the Diamond Leader training, you do not need to take it again this year.**