Researchers want to learn if spending time outside as a family can reduce child anxiety.

The Center for Nature and Health is launching and evaluating the BLOOM clinical program. A six-week nature-based intervention for children with ACEs and anxiety ages 9 - 12, this intervention will recruit low-income children with a history of early childhood adversity from throughout Alameda and Contra Costa County. A total of 125 youth and their families will be participating in this project. The families have a desire and need to explore nature and face multiple concurrent barriers to prevent them from enjoying leisure time outdoors in nature. These barriers include financial, transportation, language, as well as the added stigma of having children with special needs or mental health issues such as ADHD, autism, anxiety. If you're interested in participating, sign up below.

The value of nature

Nature has been recognized as one of seven "stress busters" for California's initiative to prevent, heal and treat ACEs. Through a calming effect on the autonomic nervous system, providing a setting for supportive relationships to develop and physical activity to occur, time in nature may help California prevent, heal and treat ACEs.