Never in my life did I think I would be awarded a gold medal for anything. Well, it wasn't a gold medal exactly, it was a plaque with gold on it and I proudly accepted it last week on behalf of the Maryland Coalition of Families and the Mental Health Association of Maryland and the many partners who worked on the May 2009 Children's Mental Health Matters! campaign.
The public service announcements with honorary chairperson First Lady Katie O'Malley, the Children's Mental Health Matters! Awareness Kits and Teacher Resource Kits all were nominated in various categories for national awards with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). The competition was tough, with entries from across the country. We came home from the competition with a bronze plaque for the teacher resource kits, a silver plaque for media outreach and the GOLD for our Children's Mental Health Awareness Week activities! The bar now is set very high for next year's campaign. Let us know if you would like to get involved.
Move over Michael Phelps, we're out to break your gold medal record.
- Jane A. Walker
Executive Director
July 26 Marks the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Curb cuts, parking places, 504 plans and many other accommodations reflect the multiple ways in which the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has touched all of our lives. Amendments to the act specifically reference mental disabilities and clearly state they are covered under the ADA.
The ADA first was introduced 20 years ago in the 100th Congress. The ADA bans discrimination in the areas of employment, public accommodation, public services, transportation and telecommunications. When President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990, he stated," Three weeks ago we celebrated our nation's Independence Day. Today we're here to rejoice in and celebrate another 'independence day,' one that is long overdue. With today's signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act, every man, woman and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence and freedom."
The ADA was the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. It was a collaborative effort of Democrats, Republicans, the legislative and the executive branches, federal and state agencies and people with and without disabilities.
Final regulations for Title I, the employment provisions of ADA, were issued on July 26, 1991, by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Department of Justice on the same day issued final regulations for Titles II (public services) and III (public accommodations).
The ADA was amended in 2008 to broaden coverage of individuals with disabilities that had been narrowed by several Supreme Court decisions. Its provisions became effective on Jan. 1, 2009. Language in the preamble was changed to emphasize that Congress intended to cover a broad range of persons with disabilities:
"The Congress finds that—
'(1) physical or mental disabilities in no way diminish a person's right to fully participate in all aspects of society, yet many people with physical or mental disabilities have been precluded from doing so because of discrimination; others who have a record of a disability or are regarded as having a disability also have been subjected to discrimination.' " (§ 12101. Findings and purpose)
Happy anniversary to us all!
A Social-Emotional Checklist for Child Care Programs
For any parent, making the right child care decision can be a difficult task. When your child has emotional or behavioral difficulties, the choice can seem much harder.
North Carolina's Child Care Resources Inc. has put together a checklist to help parents view prospective child care centers through a social-emotional lens. The checklist includes the following:
- Spend some time noticing how the classroom feels. Do you notice it is a pleasant place with laughter and happy voices? Are there frequent smiles? Do teachers speak to children on their level and with a playful tone? Are children engaged and easily able to transition from one activity to another? Do children understand the routines of the day?
- Focus on the interactions between teachers and children. Are teachers warm and nurturing, displaying easy affection toward children? Do teachers help children recognize others' feelings and encourage good listening and communication skills? Do teachers anticipate problems and step in when needed?
- Do teachers seem to "get" the children? Do teachers focus on helping children attain problem-solving skills, and do they help children learn ways to calm and control themselves? Do teachers encourage children to share and take turns while encouraging individuality and creativity? Do teachers respect and support a child's need for a security object?
- Look around the classroom. Is the physical environment pleasant and soothing, with enough space for children to play? Does the classroom include child-sized furnishings and enough toys, books and materials for each child? Is the area neat, with places for each child to be alone or with a special friend and include space for each child's special possessions? Are artwork and family photos displayed?
The Child Care Resources Inc. checklist also recommends these eight follow-up questions:
- How do you help a new child come into your classroom?
- How do you teach social and emotional skills to the children?
- What do you do when a child misbehaves?
- How much time each day do children spend in uninterrupted free play?
- Are parents welcome to visit at any time?
- What are your classroom rules?
- How long have you worked with young children? How long have you worked in this program? What do you like about working with children?
- How do you promote school readiness?
In Maryland, LOCATE: Child Care is a computerized resource and referral database that contains information on all regulated child care in Maryland. It is free and confidential and available to any parent searching for child care.
More on Health Care Reform
The federal government recently unveiled its health care reform website to help Americans learn more about the overhaul of the nation's health care insurance and delivery systems.
The site features information on the changes that go into effect this fall as well as a look down the road at what's coming next year and beyond.
You can see for yourself an individualized path of reform by clicking here. After answering a short series of questions, the site lays out your best options for gaining and maintaining health care coverage. You do not need to reveal personal information to use the site, but will have to answer a series of general information questions, such as age, Zip code, job status and degree of difficulty affording health insurance.
Consumers will be able to do side-by-side comparisons of the more than 5,500 private plans, as well as see the details of federal and state programs. Beginning in October, such evaluations will include prices, deductibles and co-pay levels; until then, users must use links to individual plans to get pricing information.
Youth Council Nominations Sought
The Governor's Office for Children (GOC) is seeking nominations for youth with disabilities ages 14–22 to participate on the Maryland Youth Advisory Council.
Youth on the Advisory Council serve for one year from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31 and are able to serve two consecutive terms. Students are given the opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations on public policy and programs that affect their future, including access to services and accessibility issues. The council works with the governor and Maryland's General Assembly on such issues as education, employment opportunities, health care, the environment, substance abuse, poverty, homelessness and suicide prevention.
Applications are available from Valerie Woodward at vwoodward@goc.state.md.us or 410.767.2547, and are due as soon as possible.
ABLE Act Update
The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) of 2009 ( H.R. 1205 and S. 493 ) is languishing in the U.S. Congress and many advocacy groups are calling for a final push for passage before lawmakers go home this fall to campaign for re-election.
The ABLE Act would give individuals with disabilities and their families the ability to save for the future in much the same way as is done for "typical" children. In short, the measure would create "ABLE accounts" that would provide individuals with disabilities the option to deduct up to $2,000 a year on contributions made to such accounts, which could fund medical and dental care, education, community-based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing and transportation.
The legislation has 189 co-sponsors in the House and 22 in the Senate, but neither bill has advanced since being introduced more than a year ago. Among the Maryland delegation, Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Chris Van Hollen of the 8th Congressional District are listed as co-sponsors of the respective bills.
July is National Minority Health Month
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working to eliminate tremendous disparities in identification and access to mental health care for minority groups. The CDC has noted these disparities exist within minority groups as well, and it provides the following information on its website to raise awareness of these issues:
African Americans
- More likely to experience a mental disorder than their white counterparts
- Less likely to seek treatment
- When they do seek treatment, they are more likely to use the emergency room for mental health care, and they are more likely than whites to receive inpatient care
- Since 1980, suicide has doubled among young black males in America
Hispanics
- Rate of mental illness tends to be similar to that among non-Hispanic whites
- But, Hispanic women tend to suffer from depression more often than Hispanic men
Asian American/Pacific Islanders
- Only 25 percent as likely as whites and 50 percent likely as African Americans and Hispanics to seek outpatient care and are less likely than whites to receive inpatient care
- When they do seek care, they are more likely to be misdiagnosed as "problem-free"
American Indians/Alaska Natives
- Appear to suffer disproportionately from depression and substance abuse
- Overly represented in in-patient care compared with whites, with the exception of private psychiatric hospitals
For more information, see SAMHSA Surgeon General's Report: Mental Health Fact Sheet.
Upcoming Events
"Raising Temple Grandin : A Family Affair" Online Video Seminar—Aug. 3, 1–4 p.m. EDT. Seminar features Eustacia Cutler, mother of Temple Grandin, a highly successful woman with autism who has been the subject of books and a recent film. Cutler will discuss her experiences raising Temple and how she "challenged the system" during her daughter's childhood in the 1950s. One fee per site; to register, call 509.335.2321 or email sherry@familiestogether.org.
Partnering with Youth and Families in Trauma Settings: A Speaker Series, Building a Peer-to-Peer Component in Your Setting Webinar—Aug. 10, 12 noon. Free, Web-based speaker series presented by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Presenters include family advocates, the Maryland Coalition of Families and Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. To sign on, visit http://learn.nctsn.org/login/signup.php. For assistance, e-mail help@nctsn.org.
High Noon Web Café Webinar, Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning—September (TBA), 12 noon–1 p.m. Web-based workshop presented by Patricia Wilson, LCSW-C of the University of Maryland's Innovations Institute. Maryland has a strong history of excellence in early childhood education and a commitment to infant/early childhood mental health. The workshop examines the CSEFEL Pyramid Model for effective practices in child care centers, classrooms, homes and programs. Pre-registration is required; participation is limited to 20. Telephone conference call is available. For more information, contact Carol at callenza@mdcoalition.org.
Maryland's 22nd Annual Suicide Prevention Conference—Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Featuring 15 workshops, speakers and lunch; keynote speaker is survivor, expert, activist and best-selling author Jodee Blanco, one of the country's pre-eminent voices on the subject of school bullying. $95; Martin's West, 6817 Dogwood Road, Baltimore. Click here for online registration. For more information, call Peggie Butler-Watson at 410.646.7758.
High Noon Web Café Webinar, Developmental Disabilities Services and Eligibility—Oct. 7, 12 noon–1 p.m. Web-based workshop presented by Diane Dressler, statewide training coordinator and housing specialist of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration. Pre-registration is required; participation is limited to 20. Telephone conference call is available. For more information, contact Carol at callenza@mdcoalition.org.
Partnering with Youth and Families in Trauma Settings: A Speaker Series, Compensation for Family and Youth Involvement: Why It's Critical Webinar—Oct. 10, 12 noon. Free, Web-based speaker series presented by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Presenters include a youth advocate and experts from the University of Maryland and the Chicago Child Trauma Center. To sign on, visit http://learn.nctsn.org/login/signup.php. For assistance, e-mail help@nctsn.org.
Partnering with Youth and Families in Trauma Settings: A Speaker Series, Building Organizational and Individual Capacity for Youth and Family Alumni Leaders Webinar—Dec. 14, 12 noon. Free, Web-based speaker series presented by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Presenters include a family advocate and experts from Kennedy Krieger Institute and YOUTHMOVE and the University of Maryland. To sign on, visit http://learn.nctsn.org/login/signup.php. For assistance, e-mail help@nctsn.org.
