Here you will find the latest resources available to the Region III System of Care Communities!
Children's Mental Health Awareness Day was May 8th!
Check out other Region III pages for more on Children's Mental Health Awareness Day activities and events in the Region!
Resources
Mental Health Awareness Week in North Dakota
North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has proclaimed May 4-10, 2008 as Children’s Mental Health Week. Also signing proclamations of the same are Mayor Dennis Walaker of Fargo, Mayor John Warford of Bismarck, Mayor Dr. Michael Brown of Grand Forks and Mayor Fred Bott of Devils Lake. The North Dakota Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health intends is using this week to promote awareness about children’s mental health by offering the following messages:
- Mental health is essential to overall health and well being.
- Serious emotional and mental health disorders in children and youth are real and treatable.
- Children and youth with mental health challenges and their families deserve access to services and supports that are family driven, youth guided and culturally appropriate; and
- Stigma associated with mental illness should no longer exist.
added 5/6/08
Is Anyone Listening? – The Figureheads and Wisconsin Family Ties
added 5/5/08
Minnesota Youth Testifies to Celebrate Wellstone Parity Bill
Minnesota self-advocate Geri-Jean Baily was ready for the opportunity when it came. Geri used the occasion of a major Mental Health Parity legislative success to heighten community awareness about the realities of behavioral health challenges she and many peer face bravely each day. Geri-Jean and her colleagues from the STARS Network in St. Cloud, attended a special session at her state capitol in St. Paul on March 7. Minnesota lawmakers convened that day to celebrate Congressional passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health And Addiction Equality Act. Wellstone, a former U.S. Senator from Minnesota who was killed in a 2002 plane crash, had a brother with serious mental illness who inspired the senator’s leadership on mental health issues throughout his public service. Geri-Jean used the opportunity of the celebration to share her experiences with her legislators, her community and a mass media audience
Read Geri-Jean's testimony. (PDF)
added 3/21/08
Youth Combat Stigma in McHenry County, Illinois
added 3/21/08
The Annapolis Coalition Action Plan for the Behavioral Health Workforce Development (2007 - Updated)
Workforce problems have an impact on virtually every aspect of prevention, treatment and support. Yet substantial evidence documents that the behavioral health workforce is not currently equipped in skills or numbers to respond adequately to the changing needs of the American population. The Annapolis Coalition is a non-profit organization focused on improving workforce development in behavioral health. Review its newly-updated action plan – the result of over two years of work by more than 5,000 individuals and stakeholders – and learn about the specific prioritization of increased roles for consumers and families within the behavioral health workforce. Access the Action Plan.
added 2/22/08
Financing Resources from the University of South Florida Research and Training Center
The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health at the University of South Florida is conducting several five-year studies to identify critical implementation factors which support communities and states in their efforts to build effective systems of care to serve children and their families. One of these studies examines financing strategies used by states, communities, and tribes to support the infrastructure, services, and supports that comprise systems of care. USF’s Research and Training Center has produced a self-assessment and planning guide, Developing A Comprehensive Financing Plan (2006).
This planning guide addresses seven key areas to assist service systems (cooperative agreement sites, States, tribes, territories, counties, communities or organizations) to develop comprehensive and strategic financing plans for systems of care:
- Identifying spending and utilization patterns
- Realigning funding streams and structures
- Financing appropriate services and supports
- Financing to support family and youth partnerships
- Financing to improve cultural and linguistic competence and reduce disparities in care
- Financing to improve the workforce and provider network
- Financing for accountability
In addition, as the study progresses, a series of Issue Briefs is being produced to share findings on specific financing topics:
added 2/19/08
Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health (PDF)
Developed by SAMHSA/CMHS (2007)
This new SAMHSA report to Congress promotes the use of research-based approaches that provide parenting support skills and promote child resilience. Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health: Strengthening Parenting and Enhancing Child Resilience emphasizes proactive approaches that can help prevent mental health problems from developing in children, or can greatly mitigate them when they do occur. SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. notes that the report’s recommendations advance the growing medical consensus that mental health needs must be aggressively addressed early in life in order to fully promote the Nation’s public health interests. Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health outlines the public health rationale for strength-based approaches to address the mental health needs of children on a societal – not simply an individual -- basis. It summarizes the evidence that these programs make a real difference in strengthening families and children, recognizing that half of all diagnosable mental illnesses begin by age 14, and three fourths by age 24. The report also discusses the importance and benefits of developing evidenced-based practices with accountability systems to maximize program efficacy in children’s mental health.”
You can access this resource by clicking here (PDF).
added 11/26/07
"Child Protection and Systems of Care," Berson, Fluke, Rider & Sanders (2007)
added 5/24/07
Helping America's Youth
Helping America's Youth is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community. Leading the Helping America's Youth effort, First Lady Laura Bush highlights programs that effective help America's young people. Research has shown that supportive relationships are crucial to youth well-being. While parents and family are the first and most important influence in every child's life, by becoming actively involved in the lives of young people in their communities, teachers, mentors, clergy members, neighbors, coaches, and others can support parents and help youth make better choices that lead to healthier, more successful lives.
added 4/3/07
Tools for Promoting Educational Success and Reducing Delinquency (2007)
Provided by the National Center on Education, Disability and Juvenile Justice*
This toolkit is a compendium of best practices for promoting the educational stability of youth with disabilities, and those at risk of developing disabilities. Tools for Success includes research-based effective practices for meeting the needs of children and youth in their schools, including early identification and intervention. Tools for Success is divided into nine sections or “Steps” that track the developmental stages of children from birth through transition into adulthood. Each Step was generated by a separate work group of subject-matter experts. Use the following link to navigate the toolkit and download the Steps you need: http://www.edjj.org/focus/prevention/JJ-SE_downloads.htm.
Click here to download the full toolkit.
added 3/23/07
National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
“Wraparound” has become a widely-implemented approach to community-based treatment for children with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families. Until recently, the absence of standards and fully described practice procedures had frustrated providers and hindered development of a wraparound research base. The National Wraparound Initiative is an attempt to engage experts and stakeholders across the nation in a process to define standards and compile and disseminate specific strategies for conducting high-quality wraparound. You can find useful guides to the wraparound process for facilitators and for families, as well as other useful tools and even an expert consultant pool at: http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/nwi/index.htm
added 3/23/07
What's New in Region III