Our early experiences as kids have a lasting impact on our health and wellbeing. From facing adverse childhood experiences to various social needs, kids are especially vulnerable to their environment, as their brains are still developing.

Schools play a crucial role in helping to support kids. However, our education system today does not do enough to equip children to understand their mental wellbeing and emotions. So argues Jessica Gomez, Psy.D., a bilingual psychologist in Texas. Gomez is executive director of Momentous Institute, a nonprofit offering mental health services and operating an elementary school in Dallas. 

In this week's episode of "Podnosis," Gomez walks Fierce Healthcare's Anastassia Gliadkovskaya through the importance of integrating social-emotional learning into education and how doing so early on can have lifelong benefits.  

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 

• California is funding managed care plans to bring mental healthcare to schools. Here's how it's going
• Experts weigh in on how to tackle growing teen mental health crisis
• Evernorth: How employers can take the lead on addressing youth mental health
• Cigna taps first 22 awardees in grant program targeted for youth mental health