Commission updates Collection of Evidence‑Based Practices; new social‑media guidance added

Matthew Wignari, a Virginia Management Fellow assigned to the Commission on Youth, briefed members on the tenth edition of the commission’s Collection of Evidence‑Based Practices for children and adolescents with mental‑health treatment needs. The collection—updated biennially and published online—serves as a statewide clearinghouse of empirically based treatment descriptions, implementation notes and Virginia‑specific resources.

Wignari said the collection organizes material across four primary categories (neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health disorders, juvenile offending and resources) and classifies treatments by level of evidence (what works, what seems to work, adequate/insufficient evidence, or does not work). He noted the collection is intended to help families and providers access research that is otherwise behind paywalls and to keep guidance current through biennial updates. "My hope today is to explain to you how this resource can be used, as a valuable resource for your constituents and for all Virginians," he said.

The tenth edition includes a new social‑media section that summarizes recent research and practical strategies. Wignari cited findings presented in the collection that social‑media use is near‑universal among teens (95% of youth ages 13–17) and that 40% of children ages 8–12 use social media daily; the chapter flags potential harms and recommends family‑level strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy where indicated, family media plans, tech‑free areas and parental role modeling. The juvenile offending section retains a link to the OJJDP model programs guide.

Commissioners welcomed the update and asked that the collection be widely shared with parents, advocates and providers. Wignari said the tenth edition will be published online later this month and invited feedback for subsequent updates.