Recognizing the 70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

May 17th marked the 70th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court desegregation ruling in Brown v Board of Education. To recognize the moment, SPAN Executive Director, Carolyn Hayer issued a statement.

Carolyn remarked that, "The legal victory did not elicit immediate transformation and the goal of desegregation faced massive resistance. Even today, 70 years later, much work remains. While we celebrate the legacy of Brown, we continue our efforts to improve access, equity, and educational opportunities within our schools."

To read Carolyn's impactful statement, please click here.

Resources for Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders

This Mental Health Awareness Month, it is important to remember that every family is unique, but all families share a bond that can be used to support one another during trying times.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.

SAMSHA has created numerous resources to help support families coping with mental health issues or substance use disorders.

To access these resources, please click here.

Cause for Concern 2024: The State of Hate

The Leadership Conference Education Fund report — “Cause for Concern 2024: The State of Hate (Updated May 2024)“ — outlines the serious threat of an alarming rise in hate crimes since 2014. Each of the last four presidential election periods have shown an unmistakable pattern: Hate crimes increase during elections. The report, the most recent publication in The Leadership Conference Education Fund’s “Cause for Concern” series first published in 1997, covers this trend. And while not all hate crimes and hate incidents are committed by white supremacists, white supremacists have been particularly active during the last four national elections. From the mainstreaming of hate and the failure of social media platforms to adequately address disinformation, the current climate is rife with opportunities for the trend of increased hate to continue into the 2024 election — unless action is taken.

To read the report, including recommendations from The Leadership Conference Education Fund, please click here.