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May 11, 2022

The Ally: What Acceptance Looks Like
 
Last week we started a conversation about moving from mental health awareness to mental health acceptance. But what does mental health acceptance look like? The foundation of acceptance is the right of people with mental illness to do the same things that other people do, such as live, work and go to school in the community. It means that systems and communities work to become more responsive in partnership with people affected by mental illness and their families.

Acceptance means that people working with your child listen and adapt what they are doing in response to your feedback.

You have several opportunities to give input into and learn about what systems offer system this week. Supportive Coaching for Parents Supporting Other Parents is May 11 at noon CDT - we hope to see any parent supporting other parents there. We encourage all families to attend the MS Crisis System Community Forum for Individuals and Families with Lived Experience on May 12 at 10:00 a.m. CDT and share your thoughts about how crisis services can be most responsive to your child and family. Canopy's Children's Mental Health Summit is May 12 - May 13, and the Mississippi Coalition for Disabilities' Born to Be Wild Family & Friends Picnic is May 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CDT. The picnic is an excellent opportunity for children too. The Special Education Advisory Panel Meeting is on May 18 at 10:00 a.m. CDT. This is a great time for families to give feedback about the special education system.

Don't forget to register online now for the 2022 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference on June 16 and June 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CDT. (On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on June 16.) This is the only cross-disability conference in Mississippi that people with disabilities and their families plan. It is always a powerful gathering.

Please check our blog entries about the latest status conference in the mental health lawsuit and the National Health Law Program. Both blogs may give you ideas about how our system can embrace mental health acceptance more fully. 
 
[photo courtesy White House archives]
Joy Hogge signature

FROM OUR BLOG
 
This week, we commend the National Health Law Program for its recently shared mental health goals.
 
On April 4, 2022, Judge Carlton Reeves held a status conference to review Dr. Michael Hogan’s first monitoring report in the ongoing federal lawsuit against Mississippi’s mental health system.
 
Presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors will share the latest information and innovations on many topics at the cross-disability conference.

EVENTS
 
Join other parents for a monthly meeting and online gathering to coach and support other parents in any system.
 
A consulting group assisting DMH with implementing 988 will provide information for individuals and families with lived experience.
 
The Children’s Mental Health Summit is Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13 at the Sheraton Flowood The Refuge Hotel & Conference Center.
 
The Joint Planning and Advisory Council meeting will be held virtually Thu, May 12, 2022, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CST).
 
Get your outdoor green on and join us for a FUN filled day celebrating individuals with disabilities, their families and friends.
 
The Peer Support Specialist Professional Supervisor Training is designed for agency administration/management and CPSSP Supervisors.
 
The MAAC’s mission is “to study, make recommendations and develop a strategic plan on how best to educate and train students with ASD.
 
Join the National Council of Well Being for a candid conversation on youth mental wellbeing & vaping on May 17.
 
The Special Education Advisory Panel will meet on May 18, at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. You may access the meeting either online or by phone.
 
Details and the agenda will be provided in the coming months after finalization and approval by the committee.
 
The Mississippi Board of Mental Health Meeting will be held on May 19 at the Department of Mental Health.
 
The Mississippi State Board of Education meeting will be held on May 19th. Participants may attend live or view the meeting via live stream.
 
This hour is open for any family member to drop in for all or some of the time to ask questions or get feedback about IEP issues.
 
Families and professionals are encouraged to attend the EHDI AC quarterly meeting. Public comments may be shared during the meeting.
 
This group will focus on opportunities for leadership training graduates to serve on decision-making groups, provide coaching guidance.
 
Marcus Stallworth, LMSW will share how effective co-parenting can aid and assist in the overall growth and healthy development of children.
 
The Joint Planning and Advisory Council meeting will be held virtually Thu, May 12, 2022, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CST).
 
Policy experts give key legislative updates and raise awareness on critical issues surrounding mental health and substance use treatment.

RESOURCES
 
U.S. Department of Education Announces Intent to Strengthen and Protect Rights for Students with Disabilities by Amending Regulations Implementing Section 504
 
The United States is experiencing a profound crisis when it comes to mental health care. In a recent Senate Committee on Finance hearing on youth mental health, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy shared that Americans wait 11 years, on average, between onset of mental health symptoms and first receiving treatment. This gap is staggering. The consequences are plain to see: higher suicide and drug overdose rates, more Americans without a safe place to sleep at night, more children experiencing depression and anxiety that will compound as they grow into adulthood. The house is on fire, and the nation is short on firefighters equipped to put out the blaze. This crisis has been made even worse by the disruption, isolation, and loss experienced in the COVID-19 pandemic.