Enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer. Hopefully it will be a slower pace and a time to regenerate.
- Jane A. Walker
Executive Director
Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration
It is an unfortunate reality that many of our children with mental health needs have substance abuse needs as well. This is often referred to as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders (COD), when youth have one or more substance-related disorders as well as one or more mental disorders.
Knowing where to turn for help can be a challenge. The Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration maintains a resource directory with the name, address, phone number and services offered for all DHMH-certified programs operating in Maryland. These programs are listed by county on their website, at www.maryland-adaa.org/resource; for more specific information, you can call the Community Services Division at 410.402.8600.
Each of Maryland 's 24 jurisdictions also has an identified substance abuse county coordinator. County coordinators assist local citizens and organizations in identifying alcohol and drug abuse treatment needs and services, and coordinate the delivery of publicly funded treatment in each jurisdiction. To reach a coordinator, refer to the following chart.
The Guiding Force Behind Family-Driven Care
Our name says it all—we are a coalition dedicated to families caring for children with mental health needs. We believe families are the key to their children becoming healthy, contributing members of society.
The national Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health has defined and continues to toil on the work in progress that is known as family-driven care. Last year, the federation released its working definition:
Working Definition of Family-Driven Care
January 2008
Definition of Family-Driven Care
Family-driven means families have a primary decision making role in the care of their own children as well as the policies and procedures governing care for all children in their community, state, tribe, territory and nation. This includes:
- Choosing culturally and linguistically competent supports, services and providers;
- Setting goals;
- Designing, implementing and evaluating programs;
- Monitoring outcomes; and
- Partnering in funding decisions.
Guiding Principles of Family-Driven Care
- Families and youth, providers and administrators embrace the concept of sharing decision making and responsibility for outcomes.
- Families and youth are given accurate, understandable and complete information necessary to set goals and to make informed decisions and choices about the right services and supports for individual children and their families.
- All children, youth and families have a biological, adoptive, foster or surrogate family voice advocating on their behalf and may appoint them as substitute decision makers at any time.
- Families and family-run organizations engage in peer support activities to reduce isolation, gather and disseminate accurate information and strengthen the family voice.
- Families and family-run organizations provide direction for decisions that impact funding for services, treatments and supports and advocate for families and youth to have choices.
- Providers take the initiative to change policy and practice from provider-driven to family-driven.
- Administrators allocate staff, training, support and resources to make family-driven practice work at the point where services and supports are delivered to children, youth and families and where family- and youth-run organizations are funded and sustained.
- Community attitude change efforts focus on removing barriers and discrimination created by stigma.
- Communities and private agencies embrace, value and celebrate the diverse cultures of their children, youth and families and work to eliminate mental health disparities.
Everyone who connects with children, youth and families continually advances their own cultural and linguistic responsiveness as the population served changes so that the needs of the diverse populations are appropriately addressed.
Become a Part of Youth M.O.V.E.
Youth M.O.V.E. (Motivating Others through Voices of Experience) is giving a one-year individual membership to 75 youth interested in transforming the mental health system while raising awareness and reducing stigma.
Members become part of a national organization seeking to help youth involved with mental health issues become connected to other interested youth across the country and to work on national issues.
To apply for one of the free memberships, contact Youth M.O.V.E. at:
Youth M.O.V.E. National
9605 Medical Center Drive, Suite 280
Rockville, MD 20850
240.403.1901
240.403.1909 (fax)
Your application form must include an e-mail address, phone number and address.
FDA Committee Backs Drugs for Pediatric Use
After two days of hearings in early June, the Food and Drug Administration's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee gave approval—with conditions—for the use of Seroquel, Geodon and Zyprexa in children ages 10 and older.
Over the course of the hearings, the panel heard from physicians, pharmaceutical makers, family members, consumer organizations, health professionals, lawyers and researchers, among others.
The committee expressed concern regarding the metabolic and cardiac side effects of both Seroquel and Zyprexa, specifically mentioning weight gain and increased heart rate and blood pressure, but OK'd Seroquel and Zyprexa for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar mania. Zyprexa was recommended as a second line treatment.
Regarding Geodon, the panel found it had shown to be effective for the acute treatment of bipolar mania but made no conclusion regarding the safety of the medication. The majority of committee members abstained citing concerns over the lack of long-term data and a higher rate of side effects in children ages 10–14.
Click here to obtain full data and presentations provided during the hearing.
National Surveys Show State of Children's Health
The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative recently released the results of its 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, updating the initial survey released in 2003. The Initiative's Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health also tracks children with special health care needs, with the most recently published survey containing data from 2005/2006.
Click here to see options for accessing data from both surveys.
The surveys cover more than 100 child health indicators on such topics as mental health, risk for developmental delays, insurance, obesity and dental health. By following the prompts, you can find state-level data and even subgroups of children, grouped by such factors as household income, race/ethnicity and insurance coverage.
The 2007 children's health survey shows that in Maryland, 40.6 percent of children ages 2–17 who needed mental health services were not able to receive them, while 59.4 percent of such children did receive needed services. Researchers estimated that data translated into roughly 39,500 children going without services, while 57,600 received such services. According to researchers, Maryland is tracking nearly exactly with the nationwide averages of 40 percent and 60 percent, respectively, for children needing and receiving mental health services.
Sorting Through Health Care Reform
The leading political topic these days aside from the economy is health care and the need to reform the nation's current system for providing and paying for services.
There is vast agreement the system is broken and in need of overhaul. In 2006, some 47 million U.S. residents had no health insurance—including nearly 9 million children. While federal programs such as the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) have helped children gain and keep insurance, their parents aren't so fortunate. And the economic downturn of the past 12 months has increased the suffering.
Health care costs are rising at more than twice the rate of inflation—health care premiums have increased 78 percent since 2001, based on Kaiser Family Foundation surveys, while wages have increased 19 percent. And those lucky enough to have a job in this unstable economic climate are finding employers increasingly are shifting higher premium costs, deductibles and co-pays onto their plates.
The astounding increases for families are creating a further dilemma—people are delaying or going without needed health care, as they have no means of paying for it, or they are getting needed treatment but going bankrupt because they cannot afford to pay the bills.
There are nearly 10 major health care reform proposals circulating on Capitol Hill.
Details of the major pending proposals and a tool for building a side-by-side comparison of the plans may be found at www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm.
A schedule put out by lawmakers in late April indicated their desire to vote on health care reform proposals after the July 4 recess, with final action to take place in September–October 2009.
Upcoming Events
QPR Certified Gatekeeper Instructor's Course in Suicide Prevention—June 29, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. $395, eight CEUs through the National Board of Certified Counselors. Prepayment and registration deadline: June 15. Hat Room, Turk Building, Spring Grove Hospital Center, 55 Wade Ave., Catonsville. This course trains instructors to teach QPR for Suicide Prevention to their community. For more information, contact Kathy White at 509.536.5100 or 888.726.7926.
Advocacy Strategies for Parents Webinar—July 9, 12 noon–1 p.m. Maryland Coalition online workshop presented by Cindy Hottinger, family navigator with the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health. Learn what advocacy is, why it's important and how a parent can become the best advocate for their child at home and in school. Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration is required. Telephone conference call is available. For more information or to register, e-mail callenza@mdcoalition.org.
Empowered with Organization: How to Organize Your Child's Important Information Webinar—Aug. 13, 12 noon–1 p.m. Maryland Coalition online workshop presented by Deb Gordon, IEP specialist with the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health. Learn how to manage the paperwork of your child with special needs and gain a clearer understanding of your child's disability, strengths and needs at home, at school and in the community. Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration is required. Telephone conference call is available. For more information or to register, e-mail callenza@mdcoalition.org.
