Press Releases
The Child Mind Institute Raises $425,000 at 2021 Virtual Spring Luncheon, A Discussion with Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz about “The Scaffold Effect”
New York, NY – The Child Mind Institute hosted its 2021 Virtual Spring Luncheon on Wednesday, May 19th raising more than $425,000 to support the organization’s continued efforts to advance children’s mental health through clinical and community care, public education and scientific research. At the center of the event was a special conversation with Child Mind Institute President Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, and Ali Wentworth — actress, comedian, author, producer and mother — discussing the “scaffold parenting” theory in Dr. Koplewicz’s new book, The Scaffold Effect: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety.
The unprecedented stresses associated with the coronavirus pandemic have made it more important than ever to focus on developing emotional resilience and flexibility in children, teens and young adults. During the discussion, Dr. Koplewicz and Ali Wentworth explored how parents can encourage their kids to better cope with difficult emotions, grow from their mistakes, and seek out new challenges.
Scaffold parenting explores how the deliberate build-up and then gradual loosening of parental support is the single most effective way to encourage kids to climb higher, try new things, and develop character and strength.
Dr. Koplewicz stressed the importance of self-care as a foundation to scaffolding, “If you are a scaffold, you have to be secure. You have to be able to be healthy, so that you can support the building. You have to give yourself encouragement. You have to have structure and support, and if the scaffolding falls down, the building falls down, and then we have this catastrophe. One of the most important messages of The Scaffold Effect is self-care. Self-care is child care.”
The luncheon was co-chaired by Christine Mack, Zibby Owens, Debra G. Perelman, and Sara Weiner, PhD, and the host committee included Roxanne Bok, Desiree Gruber, Tania Higgins, Tammy Levine, Cia Buckley Marakovits, Lisa and Guy Metcalfe, Heather Ouida, Jil Schaps, and Melanie and Adam Smith. Mom’s Don’t Have Time To… served as the event’s platinum sponsor.
For more information, please visit childmind.org.
About the Child Mind Institute
The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Our teams work every day to deliver the highest standards of care, advance the science of the developing brain, and empower parents, professionals and policymakers to support children when and where they need it most. Together with our supporters, we’re helping children reach their full potential in school and in life. We share all of our resources freely and do not accept any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Learn more at childmind.org.
