In response to the evidence showing unrestricted cell phone and addictive social media use are major contributors to the youth mental health crisis in this country by exacerbating issues like depression, anxiety, and self-harm, Governor Youngkin issued Executive Order 43- Empowering and Supporting Parents to Protect Their Children from Addictive Social Media and Establishing the Reclaiming Childhood Task Force.
Executive Order 43 activates every Commonwealth agency and office that supports parents and children to launch a coordinated awareness campaign to ensure every Virginia parent has the knowledge they need to protect their kids from unrestricted cell phone use and addictive social media.
The order also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, to establish the Reclaiming Childhood Task Force. The Secretary shall convene the Task Force, which will include parents and kids from around Virginia, as well as pediatricians, mental health experts, educators, faith leaders, community leaders, private sector technology experts, public safety officials as well as all relevant state agencies.
In addition to launching the Task Force, EO 43 immediately mobilizes agencies to provide resources for parents, educators, and healthcare providers, specifically directing agencies to:
Send a coordinated dear colleague letter to pediatricians, family practitioners, primary care providers, and mental health providers, to promote screening for unhealthy internet and social media use in youth;
Create and disseminate a Social Media and Mental Health Toolkit to: (a) provide training materials, educational resources, and practical solutions to help children and teens navigate the digital world;
Train local Community Service Boards to address behavioral health issues in youth tied to addictive social media use;
Launch a public health initiative and strategy related to the impact of social media and screen use in youth with a strong emphasis on prevention strategies including a focus on nutrition, exercise, and other non-screen related activities that support wellness;
Conduct listen and learn sessions across the Commonwealth with parents, educators, child welfare and child mental health experts to gather best practices on managing social media and screen use among youth.
Resources for parents and educators are available at Reclaiming Childhood.