CHDI NEWSLETTER
CHDI's Work Highlighted at National Children's Mental Health Conference

CHDI Staff photo
CHDI staff traveled to Tampa, Florida to share and present their expertise on a range of children's mental health topics at the 31st Annual Research & Policy Conference on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health. CHDI led presentations addressing issues related to equity and disparities in children's behavioral health services, implementation and delivery of evidence-based practices, and  collaboration within a state-wide network of care.
Read more about the topics presented at the conference and  learn more  about our work to improve children's mental health.
Article on School Safety Highlights Efforts to Address Trauma and Support Children's Behavioral Health
In an article published by the CT Mirror, CHDI President and CEO, Jeffrey Vanderploeg shared his thoughts on school discipline, trauma, and the importance of early intervention. He also encouraged schools to use Connecticut's Mobile Crisis Interventions Services (formerly known as EMPS), which provides children's mental health crisis services free of charge to all children in Connecticut. Awareness of mobile crisis is growing. The number of responses to schools jumped from 2,818 in 2011 to 5,637 last school year.  Learn more  about our work to support school mental health, address  trauma , and improve  CT's mobile crisis intervention services  and outcomes. 
 
Read the CT Mirror article "How safe are CT students at school?"  
Sharing Trauma-Informed Resources for Families in CT
60 Minutes recently aired a broadcast on treating childhood trauma through the use of trauma-informed care.  Over the past decade, the issue of child trauma has driven much of our work in partnership with CT Department of Children and Families and many other partners.  As a result, our state's child serving systems are more trauma-informed and evidence-based trauma treatments for children are available statewide. 

Families can access information on child trauma, as well as a directory of available evidence-based trauma treatments, and listings of providers offering these treatments in Connecticut at  www.kidsmentalhealthinfo.com.
School-Based Diversion Initiative Recommended in Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee's Diversion Plan
The 
Tow Youth Justice Institute at The University of New Haven
released an issue brief that addresses the effect of trauma on children and how it relates to the juvenile justice system. The Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) was recommended as a way to address the multi-system need for diversion. Connecticut's Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) is including trauma in its work around diversion, recidivism and incarceration with recommendations to mitigate the effects of trauma. Learn more about the School-Based Diversion Initiative model.  Read the Tow Youth Justice Institute at The University of New Haven's  issue brief. 

Child Health and Development Institute
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