AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022

Back to AICAFMHA Homepage / News in Brief Index / Issue #3.05

Welcome to rtcUpdates for March 2003. rtcUpdates are brought to you by the Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health. Subscribers to rtcUpdates receive occasional email messages from the RTC containing information about the RTC's recent research, publications and other activities, as well as information about developments in the field of Children's Mental Health.

Feel free to forward this message to friends and colleagues. If this email was forwarded to you, you will need to subscribe to rtcUpdates in order to receive future emails. To subscribe to rtcUpdates, go to the RTC home page at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/ and click on the "Join our List!" link.

CONTENTS OF THIS UPDATE:

** ANNUAL CONFERENCE -- Register Online!
** FORUMS--Post Your Opinions
** PROJECT NEWS -- Nominate your employer
** DATA TRENDS--Recent research summaries
** RTC PUBLICATIONS & PRODUCTS--Recently produced
** FROM THE WEB--Online information and sites of interest

** ANNUAL CONFERENCE

* Online Registration!
Online Registration is now available for the 10th Annual Building on Family Strengths: A National Conference On Research and Services in Support of Children and Their Families, to be held at the Hilton Portland, in Portland, Oregon, June 26-28, 2003.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgConference.shtml

* Highlights of Our Upcoming Conference
Thursday's Keynote address, "Now more than ever! The steps that systems of care and the wraparound process must take to ensure outcomes" will be presented by Dr. John VanDenBerg, one of the leading innovators of systems of care and the wraparound process. On Friday, research plenary panelists will also focus on how to ensure high quality and effectiveness in the wraparound process. Saturday includes a panel discussion relating to Early Childhood.

Throughout the conference, workshops will showcase culturally competent, family-centered research and innovative programs and practices. The conference will feature paper and panel presentations related to improving services for families and their children who are affected by emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. Participants will exchange information about family-centered research and program strategies, including family and/or youth involvement in all aspects of research and service delivery.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgConference.shtml

** FORUMS

This month's Featured Discussion focuses on state budgets and the impact of budget cuts on children with mental health difficulties, their families, and service providers. What are your experiences? What do you see happening around you? Are there ideas or innovations that states or communities have used to buffer people from the fallout of budget cuts? Post your comments at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgFeaturedDiscussions.php

Last month's Featured Discussion stimulated a number of responses applauding increased involvement of families in research and evaluation, and describing other studies and products of family- and youth-led research.

Access all discussions from http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgForums.shtml

** PROJECT NEWS

* Nominate your EMPLOYER or SUPERVISOR
Do you have an employer or supervisor who really understands what it takes to be a satisfied employee AND parent? Caring for a child with a serious emotional or behavioral disorder can make meeting both work and family responsibilities especially challenging. Help us recognize your employer or supervisor and learn more about successful work-family fit.
Follow this link to download the nomination form: http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/proj2nomform.pdf

** DATA TRENDS--Recent research summaries include:

* From incarceration to community (#70)
* Combining employment and caregiving: The views of parents of children with mental health problems (#69)
* Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in youth in juvenile detention (#68)
* Culture and families' experiences of residential treatment: Shared and unique experiences (#67)
* Preventing unnecessary detention of children in foster care involved with juvenile justice (#66)
* Reducing dropout from therapy in a community mental health center (#65)

Visit our "Data Trends" web page at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgDataTrends.shtml

** RTC PUBLICATIONS & PRODUCTS -- Recently produced

* Publications:

Friesen, B. J., Giliberti, M., Katz-Leavy, J., Osher, T. L. & Pullmann, M. D. (2003). Research in the service of policy change: The "custody problem".
Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11(1), 39-47.
(Reprints will be available to order soon - watch for ordering information in upcoming rtcUpdates)

Friesen, B. J. & Winters, N. C. (2003). The role of outcomes in systems of care: Quality improvement and program evaluation. In A. J. Pumariega & N. C. Winters (Eds.), The handbook of child and adolescent systems of care: The new community psychiatry (pp. 459-486). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Koroloff, N., Osher, T., Schutte, K., & Robinson, A. (2003). Family members as evaluators: Preliminary results of a training curriculum. In Newman, C., Liberton, C., Kutash, K. & Friedman, R. M. (Eds.). The 15th annual research conference proceedings, A system of care for children's mental health: Expanding the research base. (pp. 177-180). Tampa: University of South Florida, The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.
Available from http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/conference_proceedings.htm (chapter two)

Kruzich, J. M., Friesen, B. J., Williams-Murphy, T. & Longley, M. J. (2002). Voices of African American families: Perspectives on residential treatment. Social Work, 47(4), 461-470. FREE reprint available while supplies last - One per order please. Order your free copy at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgPublications.shtml (search by author) or send an email request to rtcpubs@pdx.edu.

Pullmann, M., Savage, P., & Koroloff, N. (2003). More than money: Do family resources predict caregiver strain? In Newman, C., Liberton, C., Kutash, K. & Friedman, R. M. (Eds.). The 15th annual research conference proceedings, A system of care for children's mental health: Expanding the research base. (pp. 127-130). Tampa: University of South Florida, The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health. Available from http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/conference_proceedings.htm (chapter two)

Robinson, A., Pullmann, M., Jivanjee, P., Friesen, B., & Kruzich, J. M. (2003). Out of sight, out of mind? Perspectives on parent-child contact during residential treatment. In Newman, C., Liberton, C., Kutash, K. & Friedman, R. M. (Eds.). The 15th annual research conference proceedings, A system of care for children's mental health: Expanding the research base. (pp 165-169). Tampa: University of South Florida, The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health. Available from http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/conference_proceedings.htm (chapter two)

Rosenzweig, J. M., Brennan, E. M. & Ogilvie, A. M. (2002). Work-family fit: Voices of parents of children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Social Work, 47(4), 415-424. FREE reprint available while supplies last - One per order please. Order your free copy at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgPublications.shtml (search by author) or send an email request to rtcpubs@pdx.edu.

* Presentations:

Bradley, J. R., Brennan, E. M., and Cawood, N. (2003, March 4). Opening doors to inclusion in childcare centers: Lessons from directors and staff. Presented at the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health 16th Annual Research Conference.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/presP3fl03.pdf

Friesen, B. J. (2003, January 8). Why we do what we do: Values, theory, and practice in the System of Care. Presented at the System of Care Community Meeting.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/presBFsoc03.pdf

Friesen, B. J. (2003, January 16). Family issues in children's mental health research. Presented to the Society of Social Work Research.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/presBFdc03withrefs.pdf

Jivanjee, P., Schutte, K., Robinson, A., Koroloff, N. (2003, March 3). Family involvement in evaluation: Evaluator perspectives. Presented at the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health 16th Annual Research Conference.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/presP8fl03.pdf

Walker, J. S. (2003, March 4). High-quality Individualized Service/Support Planning (ISP): Necessary conditions at the team, organization, and system levels. Presented at the Presented at the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health 16th Annual Research Conference.
http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/presP6fl03.pdf

** FROM THE WEB -- Online information and sites of interest

ACCESS TO SERVICES

** New Freedom Commission Report on Consumer Issues The U.S. President's "New Freedom Commission on Mental Health" has approved a subcommittee report entitled, "Shifting to a recovery-based continuum of community care." The report recommends that mental health systems promote consumer self-determination by focusing on recovery. The report also recommends utilizing consumer leadership, involving consumers in research, promoting peer support, and encouraging interagency collaboration.
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/subcommittee/Sub_Chairs.htm

** Addressing Child Care Challenges for Children with Disabilities Families with children with disabilities often have difficulty finding caregivers who serve children with special needs. This is especially true for low-income families looking for high-quality, affordable care. This Center on Law and Social Policy report offers background and recommendations regarding Congressional reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which together provide resources for early childhood education for young children with disabilities in all states.
http://www.clasp.org/DMS/Documents/1046108337.25/clasp_ES.pdf

FOSTER CARE

** Ten Ways You Can Help Kids in Foster Care From becoming a foster parent or mentor to advocating or contributing to help kids in care, the Casey Family Program campaign offers ideas for action.
http://www.casey.org/fostercareinfo/

**I Know Where I'm Going (But Will My Cash Keep Up?) The Foster Youth Money Guide series helps teens and youth in foster care with personal finance and making sound decisions about reaching future goals.
http://www.aecf.org/publications/browse.php?filter=7

EDUCATION

** Plans announced for reauthorization of IDEA
In releasing the set of four guiding principals for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), US Department of Education Secretary Paige stated: "Our goal is to align IDEA with the principles of No Child Left Behind by ensuring accountability, more flexibility, more options for parents and an emphasis on doing what works to improve student achievement."
http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/02-2003/02252003.html

** Group opposes changes to the current IDEA discipline provisions The National Committee of Parents Organized to Protect IDEA is collecting signatures to urge the US Congress not to change the discipline provisions in the current Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) when the act is reauthorized.
http://www.nationalparentcenters.org/IDEA/position.htm

** Families and Schools Resolving Disputes Through Mediation
An online publication from CADRE (the Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education) offers five case studies to help parents, teachers, and administrators explore the use of mediation in special education.
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/casestudies.cfm

JUVENILE JUSTICE

** Faith and Justice Partnerships Working for High-Risk Youth
A new Public/Private Ventures report addresses explores the effectiveness of partnerships among faith-based organizations and juvenile justice agencies in serving youth involved in the justice system.
http://www.ppv.org/

OTHER RESOURCES & INFORMATION

** Child & Family Web Guide Available
To aid families searching the Web for reliable advice about raising children, Tufts University has compiled a guide to websites that offer information consistent with the findings of child development experts. The Web links are divided into six categories: Family, Education, Health, Typical Development, Childcare, and Activities.
http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/

** Caregiver's Guide to Raising Children with Disabilities
This Children's Defense Fund guide for kinship caregivers and others answers questions about available federal programs, eligibility requirements and how to enroll children. To order a free copy e-mail childwelfare@childrensdefense.org or call 202-662-3568.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/

** New research indicates increase in autism
Calling autism a "very important public health problem," a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, revealed that 3.4 in every 1,000 children between the ages of 3 and 10 had diagnoses of mild to severe autism in 1996 as opposed to 4 to 5 children per 10,000 in the 1980s. The American Medical Association's journal discusses the study in its January 1, 2003 (Vol. 289, No.1) issue. A summary of the CDC autism study is available from the AMA at:
http://www.aamr.org/Reading_Room/pdf/jama_summary.pdf

** Mental Health Journalism Fellowships Offered
As part of an international effort to reduce stigma and discrimination, the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism provides grants to journalists to study selected topics regarding mental health or mental illness. Applications are due May 5, 2003 and awards will be announced in July.
http://www.cartercenter.org/viewdoc.asp?docID=1171&submenu=news

Funds to support this activity come from the Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, Federal Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education. Pb

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Last Modified: 26-03-2003 14:06:32