Children’s Mental Health Legislative Priorities

Parent Support and Assistance

Parents who receive support and assistance from parents with more experience increase the likelihood of successful outcomes for their family and children/youth. Therefore, parent partners, peer counselors, and parent-led organizations should be considered as a vital part of the system of care to achieve these minimum objectives.

· Decrease isolation, shame, and stigma

· Reduce system dependency

· Adequate self-efficacy and natural supports

· Opportunity to improve parenting skills

· Adequate ability to work with professionals

· Adequate school attendance

· Healthy families

Prevention

We support a proactive and comprehensive mental healthcare service system that recognizes and responds to children/youth/families that are experiencing early warning signs of behavioral and mental health needs at home, school or in the community.

Revision of access to care standards to reflect a focus on prevention
Age of consent law/rules and policy that respect the rights of youth and parents to access services. Parent/Caregiver Initiated Treatment Workgroup
Infant mental health services with focus on the family
Equitable services for children & youth
Adequate outpatient short term triage and day treatment services
Adequate school-based mental health services

Children and Youth Out-Patient Care

We recognize the need for out-patient care as part of a comprehensive mental health system of care.

Acceptable outcomes for family and youth through strength-based support teams
Utilization of Evidence Based and Promising Best Practices
Adequate linkages among law enforcement, hospitals, schools and community teams
Adequate recognition of the need for professionals to respect and work with parents/caregivers to increase positive outcomes

Children and Youth In-Patient Care

We recognize the need for in-patient care as part of a comprehensive mental health system of care.

Include family and youth on local CLIP review teams

Adequate transition and transfer of skills learned in CLIP to home, school, community, formal and informal supports.
Adequate bed capacity to reduce delays in treatment
Recognition that working with parents and caregivers in healthy and respectful partnerships increases positive outcomes

Education

We support education about mental health as the pathway for embracing children, youth and families that face challenges related to social, emotional and mental health needs.

· Develop mental health education campaign collaborative between MHD and DOH as part of healthcare to be used statewide.

· Provide pre-service training for educators

· Provide statewide training for educators (gen ed & sp ed) currently serving in K-12 public schools.

· Provide training for state licensed childcare providers.

· Develop and adopt mental health curriculum for