By Amy O’Dell, Founder & CEO of The Jacob’s Ladder Group
Amy’s presentation from the 2025 Healthy America National Conference in Washington D.C. is available to watch below.
Across the nation—and increasingly, around the world—we are witnessing an undeniable crisis in the health and well-being of children. Rates of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders are skyrocketing. The numbers are sobering:
- 1 in 5 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with a debilitating mental illness.
- 1 in 31 children, and 1 in 20 boys, are diagnosed with autism.
- When you include the full spectrum of neurodevelopmental challenges, over 37% of children are impacted.
And beyond the diagnoses, many more children are quietly struggling—with anxiety, depression, lack of purpose, and a pervasive sense of disconnection.
As I sat on the panel at the Healthy America National Conference in Washington D.C., one truth became increasingly clear: We cannot keep addressing fragmented symptoms while ignoring the whole child. We must step back and look at the full picture—body, mind, and soul.
The Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care®: A New Standard of Care
For over 30 years, our work at The Jacob’s Ladder Group has centered on serving the most vulnerable children through a comprehensive, individualized approach. We’ve developed the Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care® (IWBMC™)—a model built on the premise that true, sustainable healing occurs only when we reach the core of the child.
This isn’t just theory—it’s practice, with real results. Our outcomes-driven model is now supported by AHAVA, a proprietary technology platform that digitizes the entire IWBMC™ methodology. AHAVA equips providers, educators, and families to deliver whole-person care with fidelity—combining professional training, personalized planning, and real-time data tracking in one accessible, scalable platform.
The Problem is Systemic—and the Solution Must Be Too
We live in a world where kids are overwhelmed by environmental toxins, overly aggressive medical schedules, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and a lack of movement. Their bodies are under siege.
Their minds are shaped by hours of overstimulating, algorithm-driven digital content—often replacing human connection and play. And their spirits—perhaps the most forgotten element—are often burdened, aimless, or aching from the absence of purpose and the presence of pain.
We’ve removed the source of healing—God, our Creator—from the equation, and we wonder why a generation is silently unraveling.
What If There Was Another Way?
At Jacob’s Ladder, we’ve seen what happens when you teach the child and the family—when you build up not just a skillset, but a support system. When care is personalized. When the heart is not overlooked. When healing is relational and rooted in purpose.
It’s time to shift the paradigm.
It’s time to address the root —body, mind, and soul.
The Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care® is ready to scale, and AHAVA makes that possible. Let’s bring hope and healing to a generation that needs it more than ever.
