· Promote the mental health of young children
· Improve and expand school mental health programs
- · Screen for co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders and link with integrated treatment strategies
· Screen for mental health disorders in primary health care, across the life span, and connect to treatment and supports
Understanding the Goal
ü Early assessment and treatment are critical across the life span
ü If untreated, childhood disorders can lead to a downward spiral
ü Schools can help address mental health problems
ü People with co-occurring disorders are inadequately served
ü Mental health problems are not adequately addressed in primary care settings
Achieving the Goal
ü Early detection can reduce mental health problems
ü Schools should have the ability to play a larger role in mental health care for children
ü Treatment for co-occurring disorders must be integrated
ü Expand screening and collaborative care in primary care settings
NAMI Ohio Action Steps
1. Advocate for early screening, assessment and referral for mental health services as common practice throughout the system.
2. Plan, coordinate and oversee annual NAMI conference for families and consumers:
· Special tracks are offered for various topics including law enforcement, cultural competency, children’s issues, legal issues, etc.
· Annual attendance ranges from 500 to 1000 depending on the size of the venue.
3. Sponsor annual NAMI Ohio kids conference—Educational Issues for Children with Mental Illness:
· NAMI works with host agencies to obtain CEU credits for presentations.
· Targeted attendees include parents, teachers, school administrators and mental health providers.
· Annual attendance at this event ranges from 120 to 250 depending on the size of the venue.
4. Coordinate the NAMI Ohio Juvenile Justice Workgroup which is working on a pilot initiative in Franklin County (FC):
· Members and advisors to the group include: Columbus Police Department, FC Prosecutor’s Office, Public Defenders Office, Juvenile Intake/Diversion for the FC Court of Common Pleas, Pre-Sentence Investigations FC Court of Common Pleas, NAMI Franklin County, Ohio Federation for Children’s Mental Health, FC Children’s Services and Prevention, Ohio Department of Youth Services and the Center for Innovative Practices in Stark County.
5. Active member of the ODMH Intensive Home and Community Based Services for children (IHCBS) workgroup.
6. Active member of the ODMH Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) workgroup.
7. Active member of the ODMH Child and Family Product Line (CFPL) workgroup.
8. Participate in the Mental Health Network for School Success, represented on all 6 regions of the state.
9. Serve on ODMH Children’s Services Strategic Planning Initiative.
10. Represent family concerns around issues of custody relinquishment.
11. Provide Hand-to-Hand educator training:
· Enhance the Hand-to-Hand education program by incorporating the goals and recommendations of the Freedom Commission Report.
· Hand-to-Hand is a free 10-week education program for parents, foster parents and guardians of children (18 years and younger) who have a mental illness.
· Thirty to forty new educators are trained each fiscal year from counties across Ohio.
· Educators teach Hand-to-Hand to 300 families annually through local affiliates.
- · Provide course manual updates and technical assistance to all 140 certified Hand-to-Hand instructors in the field.
