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Adult Trustworthiness and How It Affects Youth Participation in Mental Health Services 

Adult Trustworthiness and How It Affects Youth Participation in Mental Health Services 

by | Dec 10, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Adoption Competent Services, for Caregivers and Families, For Professionals, Foster Care, Lived Experience, Mental Health

Adult Trustworthiness and How It Affects Youth Participation in Mental Health Services 

Written by Cristina Tanzola and Sepherina Latthium  

The majority of young people who spend time in foster care have experienced mental health services in some capacity. However, because of the challenges that bring young people into foster care, adult trustworthiness is frequently something they cannot rely on. This can spread into their relationships with child welfare workers, mental health professionals, and caregivers. Through the voices of those with lived experiences, we can better understand how adult trustworthiness impacts youth mental health participation. 

The Power of Belief 

Kenzie’s experience highlights a vital component of trust in therapeutic settings.  

“When someone sits there and actually believes what I’m saying, it makes a different impact on [trust].” 

Kenzie Drake, age 20, experience in Michigan foster care system This simple yet profound statement underscores the importance of validation in building trust. Many young people, particularly those in foster care or similar circumstances, may have developed deep-seated trust issues stemming from their past experiences. When a therapist actively listens and believes in their story, it can create a safe space that encourages openness and healing.  Trust is foundational in any relationship, especially in therapy, where vulnerability is essential. Kenzie’s story illustrates that the act of believing can be transformative. It empowers youth to open up about their struggles, fostering a deeper connection that can lead to more effective therapeutic outcomes. 

The Challenge of Traditional Approaches 

Faith’s perspective brings another layer to the discussion. She expresses frustration with mental health professionals who dive too deep into complex familial relationships during initial sessions.   

“If you like asking those questions in this initial interaction is going to be more damaging than trying to, like, just figure out where I’m at baseline.” 

Faith Sharp, age 25, 5 years in Missouri foster care systen   This speaks to the need for mental health providers to adopt a more nuanced approach to therapy.  For many young people, the conventional one-size-fits-all approach may not resonate. Instead, they might benefit from professionals who take the time to establish trust before delving into complex backgrounds. Understanding a young person’s current emotional state and fostering a rapport can lead to more productive sessions. When therapists prioritize building trust first, it can make all the difference in encouraging youth to participate actively in their mental health care.   

The Role of Caregivers 

Shayne (age 19), 5 years of experience in Kansas foster care, emphasizes the broader context of support systems surrounding youth. He argues that the actions and qualities of foster parents and guardians profoundly affect a child’s mental health. “Their overall actions and qualities will affect the mental health of a child,” he states, stressing the importance of being present and engaged. When caregivers show they genuinely care and are available for support, they provide a vital safety net for young people.  This support extends beyond basic needs. It creates an environment where youth feel valued and understood, reducing the risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Shayne’s assertion that “the best ability is availability” serves as a reminder that consistent support can significantly influence a child’s mental health trajectory.   

Building a Culture of Trust 

The testimonies of Kenzie, Faith, and Shayne collectively illustrate the critical role of trust in fostering youth engagement in mental health services. To effectively support young individuals, it is essential to cultivate environments where they feel believed, understood, and supported by both mental health professionals and caregivers.  As mental health services evolve, incorporating these insights can lead to more personalized and effective approaches. By prioritizing trust, professionals can break down barriers that prevent youth from seeking help, ultimately leading to healthier outcomes.  In conclusion, trustworthiness among adults—whether they are therapists, caregivers, or mentors—is paramount in shaping youth experiences in mental health services. By fostering a culture of belief, understanding, and support, we can empower young people to embrace their mental health journeys with confidence and hope.   

Looking for Additional Resources?

Visit the Knowledge Hub to access models of intervention, training resources, and practical tools to strengthen cross-system collaboration and improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. 

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How Adoption Competency Supports Young People: Alex’s Perspective 

How Adoption Competency Supports Young People: Alex’s Perspective 

by | Nov 12, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Adoption Competent Services>Trauma-Informed Care, Adoption Competent Trainings, Foster Care

How Adoption Competency Supports Young People: Alex’s Perspective 

Adoption is often celebrated as a new beginning, but for many youth, it’s a complex jou ey filled with layered emotions and experiences. Part of the process is working with providers who understand adoption competency. Adoption competency refers to the skills, knowledge, and understanding that professionals—like social workers, therapists, and educators—need to effectively support children who are adopted or in foster care, as well as their families.    

The Importance of Permanency and Respect 

Alex Oleson, a Lived Experience Leader, was adopted into a multi-racial family and has navigated this jou ey. In his experience, he lea ed a great deal about the importance of adoption competency—both for adoptive parents and for the youth themselves.    Alex shares, “I am a 22-year-old Black man adopted into a multi-racial family including white, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian siblings. My family has taught me the importance of permanency and to respect and love others that don’t look like me.”    Growing up in a diverse family has not only enriched Alex’s life but has also instilled a strong sense of identity. Permanency is crucial for any child, especially those who have experienced instability in foster care. It’s not just about having a roof over your head; it’s about having a consistent environment where love and respect flourish. This foundational support allowed Alex to thrive, encouraging him to embrace his individuality while also appreciating the diverse backgrounds of his siblings.   

Misconceptions About Adoption 

Alex explains “oftentimes going into foster care there is a misconception that a youth starts a new life with a new family…”    This idea that adoption equates to a fresh start can be misleading. While it is a new chapter, it often comes with the weight of unresolved feelings about one’s birth family and past experiences. The phrase “adoption means starting a new life” can be misleading because it oversimplifies the complex emotional jou ey that adopted children and their families experience.     While adoption certainly offers the opportunity for a fresh beginning and a loving home, it often comes with the weight of past trauma, loss, and identity struggles. Many adopted children carry memories or feelings about their biological families, which can impact their sense of belonging and self-worth. Additionally, the transition to a new family can be filled with challenges, as children may need time to adjust, build trust, and navigate their emotions. Instead of a clean slate, adoption is more about integrating past experiences into a new narrative, emphasizing the need for understanding, patience, and ongoing support as families work together to heal and grow.   

Supporting Identity and Connections 

Alex recommends “enacting strategies young people have identified such as identity training…”    Identity training focuses on helping individuals, particularly youth, understand and explore their personal identity, including aspects like culture, ethnicity, gender, and life experiences. Identity is a critical aspect of any young person’s development, especially for those in the adoption constellation. Adoptive families should prioritize understanding the unique cultural and emotional backgrounds of their children. By doing so, they empower youth to explore and express who they are while acknowledging their past.    Additionally, Alex shares “I would encourage all adoptive or resource parents to support any young person they adopt in feeling confident in themselves…”    Maintaining connections with birth families can significantly contribute to emotional stability. For many young people, these relationships are lifelines, providing a sense of belonging and continuity. It’s essential for adoptive families to facilitate and encourage these connections, allowing youth to engage with their kin and preserve their history.   

Cultivating Emotional Stability 

While some may believe that it’s better for a youth to have a fresh start without contact with their birth families—thinking that biological relatives might sabotage the adoption or that staying connected could be too painful—fostering an environment that values permanency, supports identity exploration, and encourages connections with birth families can truly make a difference in the field of mental health. This perspective overlooks the potential for healing and understanding that can come from maintaining those connections.     For many adopted youth, knowing their roots and having access to their biological families can provide a sense of belonging and help them navigate their identities, ultimately supporting their emotional well-being and resilience. Alex shares, “existing relationships with kin are incredibly important for young people’s emotional stability when being adopted. As I reflect on my own jou ey, the support I received from my adoptive family in maintaining ties with my birth family has been invaluable. These relationships can serve as a source of comfort and identity, reinforcing the idea that one’s past does not need to be erased but can be integrated into a new narrative.”    Adoption competency is more than just a concept; it’s a commitment to understanding the multifaceted experiences of youth in the system. By creating a nurturing environment that prioritizes permanency, supports identity exploration, and fosters connections with birth families, adoptive parents can significantly impact the field of mental health. Ultimately, it’s about equipping young people with the confidence to embrace who they are while navigating their unique jou eys. In this way, we can transform adoption into a powerful story of resilience, connection, and love.    

Looking for Additional Resources?

Visit the Knowledge Hub to access models of intervention, training resources, and practical tools to strengthen cross-system collaboration and improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. 

Knowledge Hub
This Week in the News 10/28-11/1

This Week in the News 10/28-11/1

by | Nov 1, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Adoption Competent Services>Trauma-Informed Care, Child Welfare Competent MH>Adoption Competent Services, Mental Health

 

 

 

This Week in the News 10/28-11/1

Written by Erin Bader  

It’s been a busy week in the news for children’s mental health. These articles examine the ongoing mental health needs and various efforts to address them in some States.    

A Growing Crisis in Mental Health Care for Ohio Children   Across Ohio, children with complex behavioral needs are facing severe challenges as placement options dwindle and the demand for specialized care reaches record levels. Lindsay Sparks, from South Central Ohio Job and Family Services, explained that despite collaboration with mental health providers, many agencies lack the resources to manage extreme cases. She recounted the difficulty of placing a young child who had been denied placement 45 times statewide, forcing children to occasionally spend nights at agency facilities.  Additionally, escalating mental health issues among children are straining the system. Jody Walker, executive director of the agency, noted that severe behavioral cases have surged over the past decade, and the cost of suitable placements has increased by 300%.In response to these challenges, the County Commissioners Association has prioritized child welfare in the upcoming biennial budget. The association supports Gove or Mike DeWine’s commitment to children and emphasizes the critical role counties play in protecting them.   

County receives millions in state funds for foster youth with behavioral conditions  Stanislaus County, CA has approved an $8.5 million grant to create programs for foster youth with serious behavioral health conditions. The grant, funded by the Califo ia Department of Social Services, will support the Children’s Crisis Continuum Pilot Program and be administered by Stanislaus County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services on behalf of the Central Valley Consortium (CVC), which includes Stanislaus, Merced, and San Joaquin counties.  Since 2020, the CVC has worked to develop strategies for supporting foster youth with complex behavioral needs. Aspiranet, a community-based organization, has been instrumental in these efforts, previously securing over $33 million in state funds to expand services. The Hope Forward Campus in south Turlock will be upgraded to include new facilities for psychiatric, vocational, and recreational services.  Key unmet needs in the region include a lack of local crisis care, insufficient placement options, limited after-care coordination, and a shortage of trained resources for complex cases.    

For kids in mental health crisis, there’s now urgent care   This 11-minute interview introduces a new psychiatric urgent care clinic for kids and teens that has opened at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. The clinic will be the first of its kind in Washington. It’s intended for children who don’t need emergency services but do need same-day care.      ‘Numerous’ complaints of Kentucky foster youth sleeping in office buildings spark investigation  Kentucky is investigating the root causes of reports of foster children sleeping in office buildings without proper supervision. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) has acknowledged the challenges of placing high-needs youth—often older teenagers with severe behavioral or mental health issues—into suitable environments, despite efforts to increase funding for temporary care options.  Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, emphasized that addressing the issue requires significant investment and creativity. The state must provide more resources and higher compensation for those willing to care for high-needs children. He suggested potential solutions, such as incentivizing foster care placements and establishing triage centers as temporary, secure housing options. Brooks highlighted that the problem is widespread across Kentucky, not limited to Jefferson County, and underscored the need for legislative action and increased funding.   

$25M Grant To Bolster Mental Health, Wellness Resources At PGCPS   Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is expanding its behavioral health services by partnering with multiple organizations to address gaps in student mental health care. These partners will complement the work of school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and clinicians with a focus on crisis intervention, wellness education, and professional care access. The organizations will each provide a service including virtual health support, mobile response teams, mental health education and social-emotional lea ing, mental health first aid training, and support groups.    

Experts discuss Oklahoma’s mental illness, substance abuse crises  Oklahoma is actively addressing the mental health crisis, including participating in the National Center’s Intensive Technical Assistance. At the “State of Mental Health” event hosted by the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, mental health experts discussed strategies for addressing Oklahoma’s ongoing mental health and substance abuse challenges. Key solutions include expanding the mental health workforce, prioritizing youth mental health care, and making services more affordable and accessible. Oklahoma is taking proactive measures, such as funding the 988 mental health hotlines.   Oklahoma First Lady Sarah Stitt highlighted the cultural shift towards more open conversations about mental health, stressing the importance of prioritizing support and breaking cycles of struggle. The event underscored the widespread impact of mental health issues on everyday life, affecting teachers, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals alike, and called for continued, community-wide action.    

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Assessment: My Child Needs Help! How Should I Get Started with Mental Health Care?

Assessment: My Child Needs Help! How Should I Get Started with Mental Health Care?

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Adoption Competent Services, Child Welfare Competent MH, for Caregivers and Families, Foster Care, Parenting

 

 

 

Assessment: My Child Needs Help! How Should I Get Started with Mental Health Care?

Noticing that your child is beginning to struggle with their mental and behavioral health can be a hard moment for any caregiver. The challenges that your child is facing may have begun slowly and grown over time, or may have seemed to come up abruptly, with no easy cause or event to blame. It can be paralyzing to watch your child suffer, and to feel the impact on your own family and home, without knowing the next steps you need to take to secure effective support.   The National Center is helping States, Tribes, and territories improve access to child welfare competent mental health services. As part of our efforts to support child-serving systems, we’ve partnered with the Baker Center to create this evidence-based assessment guide to help families and caregivers find care for their loved ones.   There are many kinds of assessments that address different presenting problems and challenges, so let’s break it down to help you identify the assessment that you might need for your child. These different assessments can be useful in their own ways, but it can be overwhelming to figure out the right fit.     

Adoption Competent Assessments 

Mental health professionals working with children and families who have experienced the child welfare system should ensure that their assessment addresses this unique experience. The assessment process should be used as an opportunity to provide families feedback and psychoeducation to help them shift from blaming the child or themselves to a more realistic understanding of what has happened to the child and the resulting difficulties. Some commonly used assessment measures are:  Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment  Includes the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self Report  The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)  Parenting Stress Index  Treatment Outcome Package    This article provides more information about how adoption competent assessments can increase the effectiveness of mental health services.  

Neuropsychological Assessments 

Neuropsychological assessments are conducted by neuropsychologists, who are specifically trained to carry out testing procedures and understand the relationship between an individual’s behavior and cognition. These evaluations are appropriate for children at least 6 years old, through adulthood, though some evaluations may occur much earlier depending on a child’s presentation and need. A good neuropsychological assessment will start with a referral question and then the neuropsychologist works to identify psychological tests that will help them answer pertinent questions. These questions can be broad and are determined by an individual’s need. For instance, a neuropsychological evaluation can assess questions of intelligence, lea ing and comprehension, reading abilities, language abilities, concentration, attention, processing speed, memory, fine motor skills, visuospatial skills, executive functioning, and mood/personality.    This kind of testing is often recommended when an individual is experiencing unexplained challenges in day-to-day functioning, particularly struggles at school. This could include difficulty with lea ing and encoding new information, short term memory, challenges interacting with and communicating with others, speaking or pronunciation challenges, poor attention and concentration, unexplained changes in personality, major challenges with executive functioning skills, and having trouble staying organized or completing tasks, among other things. Neuropsychological evaluations can help identify things like: 

  • Learning Disabilities 
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders 
  • ADHD 
  • Autism 
  • Cognitive difficulties 
  • Mood Disorders 
  • A developmental delay 

  The result of a neuropsychological evaluation is the identification of the above challenges, and recommendations for next steps to support your child through additional services or support in school.  

Diagnostic Assessments 

If you know your child or teen is struggling, but you’re not totally sure why and they haven’t yet received a psychological evaluation, a diagnostic assessment is a good place to start. A diagnostic evaluation involves a semi-structured interview process in which children and their caregivers are asked about an array of diagnostic areas they might struggle with and specific examples from the child or teens life about how these challenges manifest across settings. The interview will address cultural, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health conce s for children and adolescents across a wide spectrum. The clinician will address challenges including mood disorders, behavioral disorders, executive functioning, and traumatic stress to consider a broad etiology of factors contributing to the presenting challenges, especially because in youth mental health, the culprit is rarely the cause.  In addition to a semi-structured interview, good diagnostic assessments will also include the completion of clinical questionnaires to corroborate or provide an alte ative perspective on functional impairments across settings. This includes having the youth, their caregivers, and other important adults in their lives (e.g., teachers, coaches), completing validated questionnaires about how symptoms do or do not present. Once the interview with child and caregivers are completed and questionnaires are scored, the assessing clinician will hold a feedback session, often complemented with a diagnostic report, outlining clear diagnostic impressions and recommendations for next steps, including treatment and other resources for support.    Examples of diagnostic assessments that are validated and empirically supported are: 

  • The K-SADS, (Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia) 
  • The ADIS (Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule) 
  • DIAMOND (Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders) 
  • TheMINI (Mini International Neuropsychological Interview) 

  Bottom line, a good diagnostic assessment is a good place to start, and should include an interview, questionnaires, and a feedback session to clearly outline the problem and the next steps to address it.  

ADOS  

For more specific areas of concern, there are specific types of evaluations and tests that you can request to help you answer the questions you have about your child. If Autism Spectrum Disorder is an area of conce , we recommend seeking out a provider who offers ADOS. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) is an assessment administered by professionally trained clinicians to evaluate conce s specifically related to Autism Spectrum Disorder. In the evaluation, they will be assessing communication skills, social interaction abilities, and imaginative uses of materials. This assessment is appropriate for kids as young as 12 months into adulthood and, in tandem with the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI) or another comprehensive developmental interview, is considered the gold standard for how to evaluate and diagnose autism across the lifespan. We know that early and comprehensive diagnosis for neurodevelopmental conce s such as autism are key to successful treatment and prevention of problems getting worse over time. Therefore, families must be empowered with information on how to assess this conce . A good autism evaluation should consider developmental history, information from informants in the child’s life, and behavioral observations across time and settings.   When you’re deciding where to pursue your evaluation, it’s important to consider what you hope to gain from the assessment. Each of these types of evaluations can provide valuable insight, but you want to make sure that it’s shining a light on the challenges that are most prominent for your child, and that any diagnoses or recommendations given can be actioned based on the information from the assessment.   

Sources   

Ardila A, Ostrosky F. What do neuropsychological tests assess? (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31826667/) Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2022;29(1):1-9. Accessed 07/08/2024.  

Casaletto KB, Heaton RK. Neuropsychological Assessment: Past and Future (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29198281/). J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2017;23(9-10):778-790. Accessed 07/08/2024.  

Kaufman, Joan, et al. “Schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia for school-age children-present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL): Initial reliability and Validity Data.” Jou al of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 36, no. 7, July 1997, pp. 980–988, https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199707000-00021.  

McCrimmon, A., & Rostad, K. (2014). Test Review: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) Manual (Part II): Toddler Module. Jou al of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32(1), 88-92. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282913490916  

Sheehan, D. V., Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, K. H., Amorim, P., Janavs, J., Weiller, E., Hergueta, T., Baker, R., & Dunbar, G. C. (1998). The Mini-Inte ational Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. The Jou al of clinical psychiatry, 59 Suppl 20, 22–57.  

Shulman, Cory, et al. “The role of diagnostic instruments in dual and differential diagnosis in autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan.” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, vol. 29, no. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 275–299, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2020.01.002.  

Simon, Ellin, and Susan Maria Bögels. “Screening for anxiety disorders in children.” European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 18, no. 10, 5 May 2009, pp. 625–634, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-009-0023-x.   

Tolin, D. F., Sain, K. S., Davis, E., Gilliam, C., Hannan, S. E., Springer, K. S., Stubbing, J., George, J. R., Jean, A., Goldblum, R., Katz, B. W., Everhardt, K., Darrow, S., Ohr, E. E., Young, M. E., & Serchuk, M. D. (2023). The DIAMOND-KID: Psychometric Properties of a Structured      Diagnostic Interview for DSM-5 Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Assessment, 30(8), 2351-2363.  https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911221143994 

Looking for Additional Resources?

Visit the Knowledge Hub to access models of intervention, training resources, and practical tools to strengthen cross-system collaboration and improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. 

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This Week in the News 9/30-10/4

This Week in the News 9/30-10/4

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Adoption Competent Services>Trauma-Informed Care, Child Welfare Competent MH>Adoption Competent Services, Mental Health

 

 

 

This Week in the News 9/30 – 10/4

This month, the National Center is highlighting ways to improve access to child welfare competent mental health services across States, Tribal Nations, and territories. Our Intensive Technical Assistance services are designed to support these efforts by offering tailored solutions that address the complexities of these systems. In this week’s news, we’ve gathered key examples of how both State and Federal agencies are leading the way in improving access to these critical services. These stories underscore the multi-faceted strategies required to ensure children and families receive the care they need.   

AAP applauds new CMS guidance to improve comprehensive health care for children in Medicaid, CHIP | AAP News | American Academy of Pediatrics  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued new guidance aimed at improving pediatric care, with a particular focus on children with specialized needs such as those with mental health conditions, in foster care, or with disabilities and complex health needs. The guidance outlines key components of a high-functioning care system, including a single point of entry, integrating support for mild to moderate needs within primary care, and ensuring access to a broad range of community-based specialty care. It also emphasizes limiting inpatient mental health treatment to situations where it’s medically necessary. To strengthen the pediatric workforce, CMS recommends strategies like improving compensation to attract providers, expanding provider qualifications, utilizing telehealth, using interprofessional consultations to access specialty providers, and reducing administrative barriers like prior authorizations.   

How WA is trying to get kids in mental crisis out of hospitals | The Seattle Times  The Seattle Times Mental Health Project is investigating the day and week-long waiting periods children face for vital psychiatric care. This article speaks with Taku Mineshita, a recent hire to a new position that will oversee the agencies responsible for care for children. Mineshita plans to employ cross-system collaboration to simplify the process of accessing services for families and addressing children’s needs before they reach a crisis point.    

State Agencies Announce Effort to Support Children with High Acuity Needs  The Indiana Gove or has created a Children with High Acuity Needs Project which brings together The Family and Social Services Administration the Department of Correction, the Department of Child Services, and the Department of Education to provide more support to children with high acuity mental and behavioral health needs and keep youth in crisis in the least restrictive setting possible. The four goals of the project are: 

  • Cross-agency navigators: These will help coordinate care across various services, including education, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice, using schools as a hub to prevent institutionalization and help children transition back home from residential settings. 
  • Support for foster parents and kinship caregivers: Caregivers will receive extra support for caring for children with high needs, including access to respite care. 
  • Gatekeeper process review: A system to ensure children in the state’s psychiatric hospital network remain in the least restrictive setting and can leave as soon as they are ready, preventing unnecessary extended stays. 
  • Youth transitional homes and caregiver coaching: Transitional homes will offer short-term support for children leaving residential care to help them reintegrate into their communities, while families receive caregiver coaching to assist with the transition. These homes are designed for short-term use, unlike traditional group homes. 

  Intensive kids’ mental health treatment program opens north of Salem – Salem Reporter  The Meadowlark Program in Salem Oregon was created to meet students’ mental health needs and ensure that they do not fall behind in their education so that they can retu to their home school.     

Study reveals impact of adverse childhood experiences on teen mental health (news-medical.net)  Another step to improving access to mental health services is to have a better understanding of risk factors so services can be implemented to support children and families earlier.  A 15-year University of Michigan study reveals that teens who faced high emotional and multidimensional adversity early in life are at the greatest risk for mental health challenges. Tracking over 4,000 youths from birth to age 15, the study explored how adversities such as maltreatment, family violence, and maternal depression impact mental health and brain function. Key findings include: 

  • Teens exposed to high adversity across multiple contexts (home, family, neighborhood) show worse mental health outcomes and differences in brain activity related to emotion processing. 
  • Maternal depression alone can lead to significant negative effects, even when other adversities are moderate.
This Week in the News 9/3-9/10

This Week in the News 9/3-9/10

by | Sep 11, 2024 | Access to Mental Health Services, Child Welfare Competent MH, Mental Health

 

 

 

This Week in the News 9/3-9/10

We are focused on suicide prevention this month and the National Center is committed to being part of the solution.  Talking openly about suicide is prevention within itself. We pulled some headlines that we felt contribute to the dialogue about suicide prevention in child welfare.   

This article from Youth Villages highlights the critical role of building connections in supporting mental health and preventing suicide. The author emphasizes that strong, supportive relationships are essential for individuals struggling with mental health issues. Read about strategies for fostering these connections, such as creating safe spaces for open communication and offering consistent support. By strengthening social bonds and promoting a sense of belonging, individuals are better equipped to handle mental health challenges and reduce the risk of suicide.    Our hope is that children and youth receive mental health support when it’s needed so we can minimize them reaching a crisis level. A few States have created programs to better meet the mental health needs of children.   

North Carolina has created a new child treatment program aimed at improving mental health support for children. The program, launched in response to growing conce s about mental health among young people, focuses on providing comprehensive care that includes therapy, counseling, and family support. This initiative seeks to address the rising need for specialized mental health services and aims to offer more accessible and effective treatment options for children and their families in the state.    A new children’s psychiatric treatment center has opened in Hamden, Connecticut. This facility is designed to provide specialized mental health care for children and adolescents facing psychiatric challenges. It aims to address a critical need for more accessible and effective mental health services for young people in the region. The center will offer a range of treatments and support services to improve the mental health and overall well-being of its young patients.   Increasing access to mental health requires leveraging all care pathways such as school counselors.

The Brown Daily Herald examines the nationwide shortage of school counselors in the U.S. and its effects on students’ access to essential mental health and academic support services. The article discusses factors contributing to the deficit, including underfunding and high caseloads. It also explores the consequences for students, such as reduced individual attention and support, and the broader implications for school environments. Efforts to address the shortage, such as increased funding and policy changes, are also outlined.