July 2018

The only national conference dedicated solely to issues that impact children, youth and young adults with behavioral health challenges and their families. Our conference focus

is inclusive of children and youth who experience complex diagnostic challenges.

The Board of Directors of the Idaho Federation of Families is very pleased to welcome their new Executive Director, Ruth York. Ruth has a Master's degree in Public Health. Prior to accepting this position with the Federation, she led a team at St. Luke's Health System focused on supporting the needs of families with children

who have complex health issues.

Welcome, Ruth!

We look forward to working with you.

In 2012, the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health launched the national certification examination for Parent/Family Peer Support Specialists (PSP). As the field of peer support has matured, it is incumbent on us to revise the examination questions and protocol to incorporate lessons we have learned and to reflect the evolution of the field.

The current examination contains 11 Core Competencies. While these comprise a good base of needed skills, it is acknowledged that the field has evolved over the past 5 years and that there are additional, critical competencies that should be demonstrated by effective Parent Support Providers. No one is better to help identify the critical areas of knowledge than you. This will be a multi-pronged task and you are an important part of every step. We need every state voice represented in our initial data collection!

If your state is in ORANGE, we need to hear from you on your State's Core Competencies.

Submit a copy of your

State's Core Competencies

HERE.

The Family First Prevention Services Act was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act on February 9, 2018. This act reforms the federal child welfare financing streams, Title IV-E and Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, to provide services to families who are at risk of entering the child welfare system. The bill aims to prevent children from entering foster care by allowing federal reimbursement for mental health services, substance use treatment, and in-home parenting skill training to families and children. It also seeks to improve the well-being of children already in foster care by incentivizing states to reduce placement of children in group care.

What services are available for federal reimbursement?

• Mental Health Services

• Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Services 

• In-home Parent Skill-based Programs  

 

Who is eligible for services? 

• Children who are identified as candidates for foster care identified in a prevention plan as safe to remain safely at home or in a kinship placement with receipt of services or programs

• Children in foster care who are pregnant or parenting 

• The parents or kin care givers where services are needed to prevent the child’s entry into care

 

Staring October 1, 2019 (federal fiscal year 2020) states will have the option to draw down entitlement funding for qualified services and/or programs for children (and/or their families) considered to be candidates for foster care or who are pregnant or parenting foster youth. This means funds can be used to provide prevention services to children and families at risk of going into foster care.

Click HERE to enlarge the image.

NFFCMH participated in a SAMHSA sponsored meeting that brought together national experts in trauma, social-emotional learning (SEL) and prevention science to explore an interdisciplinary approach that will enhance the work of each field. Participants included well-known experts such as David Osher, Sharon Hoover and Marleen Wong. A major focus of the day was exploring how to better engage families in schools and how Parent/Family Peers can become partners in enhancing parent/school communication.

Evaluating The Evidence

NFFCMH joined national Child Welfare experts, researchers, and constituent-based organizations in an Annie E Casey think-tank to discuss establishing peer support interventions for young people aging out of foster care and families experiencing the foster care system. With the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act as the catalyst, the group began to format strong peer engagement strategies at the national, state and local levels.

Getting to Wide Scale Adoption of Comprehensive School Mental Health in States and Cities Across the Nation

Convened by SAMHSA, NFFCMH was invited to join state, city and national leaders who were early adopters of school mental health. This opportunity to join HRSA Center for School Mental Health, COIN states and SAMHSA grantees implementing AWARE SEA, SS/HS and SOC approaches offered a tremendous platform for ensuring that family voice is a strong partner in the development of comprehensive school mental health across the nation.

Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence Prevention

and Mental Health Training Program

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting and assisting state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in improving efforts to reduce violent crime through safety training and mental health programs for school personnel and students as they relate to violence in schools

Applications are due by July 23, 2018. 

BJA STOP School Violence Threat Assessment

and Technology Reporting Program

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting and assisting state, local, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions in improving efforts to reduce violent crime through the creation of school threat assessment teams and the use of technology for anonymously reporting suspicious activity as it relates to violence in schools.

Applications are due by July 23, 2018. 

Statewide Family Engagement Centers Program

The Department of Education has issued a Notice Inviting Applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) program. Grants will be awarded to statewide organizations (or consortia of such organizations) in partnership with an state education agencies (SEA) to establish SFECs that (1) carry out parent education and family engagement in education programs, and (2) provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to SEAs, local education agencies (LEAs), schools identified by SEAs and LEAs, organizations that support family-school partnerships, and other such programs.

Applications are due by July 30, 2018.

How to Create Systems and Structures for Children and Teens with ADHD, ODD and Anxiety

Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Systems and structures only succeed when you focus on the change you’re trying to achieve, and you can learn to do that with a “coach approach” to problem solving. Join experts Elaine Taylor-Klaus, PCC, CPCC, and Diane Dempster for this f ree webinar and learn how to use the "coach approach" to help complex kids get things done.

Principles of Care

Date: Thursday, July 12, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. MDT

"Principles of Care" will be presented by April Auker, LCSW and Stacey Nelson from the Parent Network. Webinar attendees will learn about the principles of care, the practice model, and Child and Family Team within the YES system of care and how these impact your child's care.

What to Expect with Coordination of Care

Date: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. EDT

"What to Expect with Coordination of Care" will be co-presented by Jennifer Barnett, LCSW, and a parent. Learn about what to expect when you meet with a Person-Centered Planning (PCP) facilitator to develop the PCP and what to expect with coordinated care delivery within the YES system of care.

Becoming an Active Partner in Your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

Date: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 Time: 6:30-8:30 PM

This workshop, for parents of children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or disabilities, describes early intervention services, the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), how families can be involved in writing child and family outcomes and become active participants in the IFSP process.

Substance Use Disorders in the Zero Suicide Framework

Date: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 Time: 12:30:00 PM MST - 2:00:00 PM MST

This webinar will highlight innovative ways that health and behavioral health care organizations are changing organizational practices and providing improved care for patients with substance abuse disorders who are at heightened risk for overdose and suicide. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to (1) identify ways to improve staff attitudes and confidence towards working with patients at risk for suicide and overdose deaths, (2) share unique patient engagement and suicide care management plan considerations for this population, and (3) describe the importance of a patient-centered perspective to treating suicide risk and overdose risk concurrently.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore Training Institute

Date: July 25-27, 2018 in Washington D.C.

Cost: Before July 23 - $925; After July 23 - $1,025

The Training Institutes offer an extensive array of sessions designed to provide practical, hands-on training and strategies that can be applied to the systems of care in states, tribes, territories, and communities. The Training Institutes is an opportunity for leaders in the field of children’s services to share the latest research, policy, and practice information and resources and learn from one another. Sessions will focus on approaches that are relevant, adaptable and innovative within critical areas in children, youth, and young adult service systems. Presenters and attendees will include experts and leaders in the field of children’s services, including state, county tribal, and territorial children’s system leadership, direct service providers, state purchasers from Medicaid, behavioral health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and public health, parents, youth, and young adults, policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and evaluators.