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Feature Articles

Families Matter!
Our Children Succeed Initiative's Photovoice Project
Photovoice is a participatory action research strategy (PAR) that provides individuals with the opportunity to identify, reflect, and convey their everyday lives and challenges through photographs that are culturally and contextually relevant.

Highlights from the Field
The bi-monthly Highlights from the Field articles provide information about innovative and promising activities from the system of care communities supported by the TA Partnership in the hopes that communities can learn from their peers around the country.

News You Can Use

• Rules on Addiction and Mental Health Parity Issued by Obama Administration Advocates are pleased with new rules for implementing the addiction and mental health parity law passed by Congress in 2008.
• Using Therapy Animals to Help Child Maltreatment Victims American Humane's Therapy Animals Supporting Kids (TASK) program encourages the use of therapy animals while working with children who have been abused or neglected, or have witnessed violence. Their program manual addresses practical issues involved with setting up an animal-assisted therapy program and outlines the legal implications of using therapy animals in work with children.
• State Laws on Family Engagement in Education (PDF) This report from the National Parent Teacher Association provides families and advocates with information on family engagement within state education laws.
• Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ) Releases Annual Report (PDF) The FACJJ released its annual report, which provides a snapshot of critical issues facing juvenile justice and proposes specific steps to address these issues.
• Disparities in Child Outcomes Found as Early as 9 Months of Age (PDF) A Child Trends study found that disparities in child outcomes among poor, at-risk, and more advantaged children are evident as early as 9 months and grow larger by 24 months of age.
• Congratulations to Wraparound Milwaukee! Wraparound Milwaukee has been announced as the 2009 winner of the Annie E. Casey Innovations Award in Children and Family System Reform.
• National Coalition Urges Increased Support for Youth Service on Public Lands The Public Lands Service Coalition, an alliance of more than a dozen national, regional, and local nonprofit organizations, recently launched a new initiative to increase employment and develop valuable skills among youth through "green jobs" on public land.
• Doctors Cautioned on Zyprexa for Adolescents The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the drug Zyprexa, which is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar disorders, has an increased potential for weight gain, diabetes, and elevated blood cholesterol.

Research Update

• "Choking Game" Gains in Popularity Six percent of 8th-graders surveyed in Oregon said they had taken part in a game where youth choke each other to produce a sense of euphoria. Adolescents with addiction or mental health problems are among those most likely to play the game.  
• Developing Permanent, Supportive Connections While in Care: Foster Youth's Perspectives (PDF) This study sought information from youth themselves about the child welfare services they had received while in foster care, including services related to permanency and developing relationships with adults; most youth reported that they had not received these supports while they were in care.
• Schizophrenia Patients May Experience Beneficial Brain Changes in Response to Exercise More families are turning to alternative treatments to treat their adolescents who have mental/emotional/behavioral disorders. This News-Medical.Net article discusses a study that found exercise can cause potentially beneficial brain changes in schizophrenia patients.
• Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-2009 This report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics's National Prison Rape Statistics program presents data from the 2008-09 National Survey of Youth in Custody and provides national and facility-based estimates of sexual victimization in juvenile correctional facilities.
• Preschool Depression This study of 306 preschoolers ages 3-6 found that preschoolers with depression at baseline had the highest likelihood of subsequent depression 12 and 24 months later, as compared to preschoolers with no baseline disorder and compared to those who had other psychiatric disorders.
• National Survey Tracks Rates of Common Mental Disorders Among American Youth (abstract) Only about half of American children and teenagers who have certain mental disorders receive professional services, according to a nationally representative survey funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health.
• Does Private Insurance Adequately Protect Families of Children with Mental Health Disorders? (PDF) According to a report in Pediatrics, families with private health insurance whose children need mental health care face much greater financial burdens in obtaining appropriate care, including negative health plan experiences and loss of job or reduction of time in the workforce (and thus reduction of income).

Funding Opportunities

• 'Get Ur Good On' Grants for Young Volunteers
  Application Deadline: February 22, 2010 Get Ur Good On grants are available for youth-led service initiatives on Global Youth Service Day, April 23–25, 2010. One hundred $500 grants will be given to projects addressing important community needs such as poverty, education, and environmental sustainability.
• Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems
  Application Deadline: February 22, 2010 Funds are available for efforts to increase student access to high-quality mental health care by developing innovative approaches that link school systems with local mental health systems.
• Second Chance Act Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects (PDF)
  Application Deadline: March 4, 2010 Funds are available for grants to State and local governments, as well as Federally recognized Indian tribes, which may be used for demonstration projects to promote community reintegration of individuals who have been incarcerated or detained.                 
• Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program
  Application Deadline: March 19, 2010 DFC is accepting applications for a grant to reduce substance use among youth by: 1) addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse, and 2) promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.
• Viola Bernard Foundation Grants
  Application Deadline: March 31, 2010 Opportunity for grants of $200,000 available each year for innovative mental health programs that stress importance of families and children, and that involve police, school supports, and other social agencies.
• Knowledge Dissemination Conference Grants
  Application Deadline: March 31 and September 30, 2010 The purpose of the SAMHSA's annual conference grant program is to disseminate knowledge about practices within the mental health services and substance abuse prevention and treatment fields and to integrate that knowledge into real-world practice as effectively and efficiently as possible.
• Ben & Jerry's Foundation
  Application Deadline: Ongoing The Foundation is currently considering proposals from grassroots, constituent-led groups that are organizing for systemic social change, including youth-led efforts that support programs and projects featuring creative problem-solving.
• CFK's Toolkit for Funding
  Application Deadline: Ongoing From special provisions of the Recovery Act to an NFL Grassroots Grant, the Connecting for Kids toolkit can help you obtain funding from a variety of sources.
• Foundation Matrix (Word)
  Application Deadline: Ongoing Youth Build USA and Global Youth Justice have updated their list of funding initiatives for youth-serving organizations.
• RWJ Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization
  Application Deadline: Ongoing This program supports projects that 1) examine significant issues and interventions related to health care financing and organization and their effects on costs, quality and access; and 2) explore new ways to finance and organize health care to improve access.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Funds
  Application Deadline: Ongoing This grant notification includes an explanation of how resources under the TANF Emergency Fund – a provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — can be used to support mental health and substance abuse services.

TA Partnership News

• TA Partnership's Communities of Practice Visit the Communities of Practice pages below to get information about events, resources, and links to helpful information for system of care communities.
  • Early Childhood
  • Transition-Aged Youth
  • Cultural and Linguistic Competence
    • African Heritage Learning Community
    • Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander Learning Community
    • Latino Learning Community
    • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, or Two-Spirit Learning Community

Publications and Web Sites

Events

• American Humane's National Center on Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) 2010 Webinar Series (PDF)
  Multiple Dates American Humane's webinar series will include presentations on how family group decision making can address issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, dual jurisdiction youth and disproportionality in child welfare – in addition to engaging families.
• 21st Annual National Youth-At-Risk 2010 Conference sponsored by Georgia Southern University
  February 24–March 3, 2010 | Savannah, GA This conference trains adults who serve youth to create safe, healthy, caring, and intellectually empowering educational environments that foster the well-being of all children and adolescents.
• Family and Youth Roundtable's Annual Conference on Improving Services for Children and Families
  February 26–27, 2010 | San Diego, CA The focus of this conference will be on reducing stigma and disparities in children's mental health.
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Annual Convention
  March 2–6, 2010 | Chicago, IL This year's NASP convention will include 1,000 educational sessions and special events, research and skills training, discussions on hot topics, and networking opportunities. 
• The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Annual Conference
  March 6–10, 2010 | National Harbor, MD The AMCHP conference brings together over 600 attendees annually who are leaders in maternal and child health, public health, and family advocacy. 
• The 23rd Annual Children's Mental Health Research and Policy Conference
  March 7–10, 2009 | Tampa, FL Learn, inform, network, and discuss issues related to research policy and practice in children's mental health, and engage in spirited discussions about children's mental health from a systems and community perspective.
• 36th National Conference on Juvenile Justice
  March 11–March 14, 2010 | Orlando, FL Sponsored by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the National District Attorneys Association, this conference highlights effective practices and programs, and offers tips and tools and opportunities for networking.
• True Colors XVII: Focusing on OUR Families
  March 12–13, 2010 | Storrs, CT True Colors is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and ally youth conference in the country. In addition to youth of all ages, teachers, social workers, community providers and other professionals attend in record numbers.
• 40th National Mental Health ands Addictions Conference and Expo
  March 15–17, 2009 | Disney, FL Exchange ideas. Explore best practices. Share your experience. Spend three days focused sharply on the issues and bring your team so that you can cover more ground.
• 26th National Symposium on Child Abuse
  March 22–25, 2010 | Huntsville, AL This multidisciplinary training conference offers workshop tracks on topics that include child protective services, mental health/treatment, prevention, victim advocacy, and wellness.
• 2010 NAMI National Convention
  June 30–July 3, 2010 | Washington, DC The NAMI National Convention is an annual gathering of some 2,500 mental health activists and advocates from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries, including individuals who have a mental illness, family members of individuals with mental illness, health and social policymakers from both the public and private sectors, and treatment professionals.
• Sixth World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders
  November 17–19, 2010 | Washington, DC Sponsored by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and World Health Organization, this conference offers a unique opportunity for researchers, public health practitioners, activists, educators, law enforcement personnel, and others to come together to share findings, ideas, and innovations.