Today, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has issued an 81-page advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation. In the report, Dr. Murthy outlines the public health concerns related to loneliness and isolation and how supporting social connection can reduce the risk of premature mortality, predict better physical and mental health outcomes and ease stress. In response, the U.S. Surgeon General’s office has issued a new website announcing a National Strategy for addressing the...

2023 has been a year full of wonderful opportunities to share the HOPE framework with partners from across the state and 2024 promises to be even better. I'd like to take a moment to share with you a 2022 blog post from the HOPE National Resource Center that is a great example of opportunities to infuse Positive Childhood Experiences into our everyday lives. Here's wishing you a safe and restful holiday season! Originally posted by Tufts HOPE on 12/08/22: School is out for the holidays, and...

Five years ago, I wrote a blog for this site to encourage readers to engage in a different type of cookie exchange to spread comfort and warmth during a time of year that isn’t always experienced as “merry” or “joyful”. I’d like to revisit that 2019 post with a “HOPE-ful” lens… In their book, Fostering Resilient Learners , Kristin Souers and Pete Hall introduce a concept called “the cookie jar” – the art of giving praise. It’s part of human nature to rely on external feedback to develop a...