Cannabis and the Effects on Teens
Cannabis has been legalized in 18 states. Another 13 have decriminalized it. In Minnesota, it is illegal for recreational use, but decriminalized for possession of 42.5 grams or less. We’ll talk more about what that amount may mean. In Wisconsin, cannabis is also illegal for recreational use, but there’s a strong push to legalize it. “prohibition has not worked when
Pay It Forward
Thanks to Bell Bank and Bent Paddle for coming together to raise awareness and financial support for Amberwing! Bell Bank has a Pay It Forward program, where they choose a nonprofit in the region to benefit from their philanthropic culture. Bent Paddle Brewery has a Paddle It Forward program where the proceeds from a specific beer will benefit a nonprofit.
Meet Gabriela, Amberwing’s new Fellow
Having grown up in the Northland, I’ve always valued time spent in nature and found it important for one’s well-being. Working in the mental health field, I was also aware of Amberwing’s – Center for Youth & Family Well-Being work. In Fall of 2020, I began my final Master of Social Work (MSW) clinical internship at Amberwing. During my first
Abby: Learning to Cope Ahead
Watch the video to see Abby’s transformation! How do people manage the emotional turmoil caused by a traumatic life event? The kind of pain that surfaces at unexpected moments, splashing into life and relationships without warning. For the Fermenich family, their saying is: “Take a deep breath and just keep swimming.” Tune into humor and hold onto faith. Use the
ARTcetera meets CYBERcetera: A Historical Look Back
Pat Burns remembers the nervous excitement of launching ARTcetera with her team at the Miller-Dwan Foundation. It was 1999 and the Foundation, with its history of high impact medical philanthropy, needed a boost for its efforts to support life-saving treatments and therapies in the region. “What if no one comes?” says Pat, who served as president of the Foundation from
Giving Intensive Support for Intense Mental Health Needs
When it comes to helping people deal with a life-threatening mental health crisis, there’s one place in northern Minnesota that treats more patients, more intensively, than anywhere else. The 38-bed Adult Behavioral Health Unit in Essentia Health’s Miller-Dwan Building sees patients diagnosed with mental illness from throughout Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The unit is always
Reality Check: Kids and Social Media
We know kids today spend a lot more of their time interacting through social media than in the past. Research tells us that all this screen time can not only skew their reality but also prompt symptoms of anxiety and depression. Dr. Elena Metcalf, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Amberwing, is seeing the effects first-hand. “I’m seeing kids as young
Social Distancing Mental Health Tips
As a kid, when I thought about the year 2020, I imagined life like the Jetson’s – flying cars, robots and all kinds of things I couldn’t even imagine yet. As I thought about 2020 as an adult, it was clean slate – it was refreshing to begin a new decade with a positive mindset of the good things I
Miller-Dwan Foundation: Year in Review
2019 was an extraordinary year! Each year brings new projects, new challenges and new people to our lives, while each day brings new stories of hope, strength and love. We wanted to recap some of the things that topped this year that will make a difference in the health of people throughout our region in 2020 and beyond: Lou Ann!
Amberwing: Flyability
Chances are you know the story about Amberwing. How it got its name from a dragonfly that shares our air space, right here in the Northland. You may also know that the Amberwing dragonfly, like all dragonflies, has two sets of wings. If one of them breaks, it can usually still fly. That ability to carry on no matter the
