HJBR Jul/Aug 2023

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2023 45 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com stop for parents and families concerned about the physical and emotional health of young peo- ple in their lives, and we confront the mental health crisis among youth every day. The Amer- ican Academy of Family Physicians commends the Surgeon General for identifying this risk for America’s youth and joins our colleagues across the health care community in equipping young people and their families with the resources nec- essary to live healthy, balanced lives.” — Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAFP, president, American Academy of Family Physicians. “Today’s children and teens do not know a world without digital technology, but the digital world wasn’t built with children’s healthy mental development in mind. We need an approach to help children both on and offline that meets each child where they are while also working to make the digital spaces they inhabit safer and healthier. The Surgeon General’s Advisory calls for just that approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics looks forward to working with the Surgeon Gen- eral and other federal leaders on Youth Mental Health and Social Media on this important work.” — Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP, president, American Academy of Pediatrics. “With near universal social media use by Ameri- ca’s young people, these apps and sites introduce profound risk and mental health harms in ways we are only now beginning to fully understand. As physicians, we see firsthand the impact of social media, particularly during adolescence – a critical period of brain development. As we grapple with the growing, but still insufficient, research and evi- dence in this area, we applaud the Surgeon Gen- eral for issuing this important Advisory to high- light this issue and enumerate concrete steps stakeholders can take to address concerns and protect the mental health and wellbeing of chil- dren and adolescents.We continue to believe in the positive benefits of social media, but we also urge safeguards and additional study of the pos- itive and negative biological, psychological, and social effects of social media.” — Jack Resneck Jr., MD, president, American Medical Association. “The first principle of health care is to do no harm – that’s the same standard we need to start holding social media platforms to. As the Sur- geon General has pointed out throughout his tenure, we all have a role to play in addressing the youth mental health crisis that we now face as a nation. We have the responsibility to ensure social media keeps young people safe. And as this Surgeon General’s Advisory makes clear, we as physicians and healers have a responsibility to be part of the effort to do so.” — Saul Levin, MD, MPA, CEO and medical director, American Psy- chiatric Association. “The American Psychological Association applauds the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, affirming the use of psychological science to reach clear- eyed recommendations that will help keep our youth safe online. Psychological research shows that young people mature at different rates, with some more vulnerable than others to the con- tent and features on many social media platforms. We support the advisory’s recommendations and pledge to work with the Surgeon General’s Office to help build the healthy digital environment that our kids need and deserve.” — Arthur Evans, Jr., PhD, CEO and executive vice president, Ameri- can Psychological Association. “Social media use by young people is perva- sive. It can help them, and all of us, live more connected lives – if, and only if, the appropriate oversight, regulation and guardrails are applied. Now is the moment for policymakers, companies and experts to come together and ensure social media is set up safety-first, to help young users grow and thrive. The Surgeon General’s Advisory about the effects of social media on youth men- tal health issued today lays out a roadmap for us to do so, and it’s critical that we undertake this collective effort with care and urgency to help today’s youth.” – Susan L. Polan, PhD, associate executive director, Public Affairs and Advocacy, American Public Health Association. The National Parent Teacher Association shared the following: “Every parent’s top priority for their child is for them to be happy, healthy and safe. We have heard from families who say they need and want information about using social media and devices. This Advisory from the Surgeon General confirms that family engagement on this topic is vital and continues to be one of the core solu- tions to keeping children safe online and support- ing their mental health and well-being.” — Anna King, president of the National Parent Teacher Association. In December 2021, Murthy issued a Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health (PDF) calling attention to our national cri- sis of youth mental health and well-being. Earlier this month, he released a Surgeon General’s Advi- sory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isola- tion (PDF), where he outlined the profound health consequences of social disconnection and laid out six pillars to increase connection across the country, one of which being the need to reform our digital environments. The new Surgeon Gen- eral’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Men- tal Health (PDF) is a continuation of his work to enhance the mental health and well-being of young people across the country. For more information about the Office of the Surgeon General, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/ priorities. Louisiana Department of Health: Avoid Areas with Algal Blooms The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is raising awareness and urging residents to avoid areas with blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, due to the algal bloom observed in Lake Pon- tchartrain by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and recent sightings of algal blooms in other waterbodies. An algal bloom is the rapid growth, or “bloom,” of algae on the surface of the water. These algae may appear blue, bright green, brown, or red and can have a strong odor like rotting plants. There may be a foam, or scum, that has formed on the water’s surface. Blue-green algae prefer warm, calm, sunny weather and water temper- atures higher than 75°F. Blooms are more likely to happen in summer or fall but can occur any time of year. While some algae are harmless, certain types can produce toxins that are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Therefore, it is cru- cial for individuals to be knowledgeable and take necessary precautions when encountering water bodies affected by algae blooms. You cannot tell if a bloom is harmful just by looking at it and not all blooms are easy to see, so it is best to use caution and stay away. If you see or smell a bloom: • Stay out of affected water: Refrain from