Children First 2005 Conference Summary

Mental Health

Families

            ▪ Advocate by expressing your needs clearly to elected officials by writing/lobbying your state, local, and federal legislators.

            ▪ Parents collaborate, form support groups as a method of expressing concerns and challenges as well a means to educate each other and raise awareness.

            ▪ Keep lines of communication with teachers and community groups open.  Keep others informed.

            ▪ Work on stigma reduction and peer education programs to help families better understand disabilities and recovery.

            ▪ Stay educated and keep learning.  Education brings the empowerment needed for self advocacy.

Children and Youth

            ▪ Develop peer support groups that youth facilitate and organize.

            ▪ Encourage students in recovery to share their experiences, wisdom and strength with teachers, students and the community.

            ▪ Keep the responsibility in dealing with mental health issues off of children. 

            ▪ Volunteer to communicate and share experiences with public leaders.

Business and Employers

          ▪ Increase Employee Assistance Programs to include mental health and family coverage.

            ▪ Mental Health Hospitals should provide short-term crisis day beds to all children within the community.

            ▪ Collaborate with other community stakeholders in supporting youth through donating time, resources, etc. to the cause.

            ▪ Provide benefits including health insurance, on-site child care, allowed time off and schedule flexibility that will enable employees with children more time and ability to put towards the health of their children.

            ▪ Campaign for mental health issues in order to raise community awareness and acceptance.

Elected Officials

          ▪ Support funding of public policies that prioritize Mental Health services for families, adolescents and children.

            ▪ Educate yourselves on Mental Health, Developmental Disability and Substance Abuse issues and be mindful of these issues importance in regards to the community.

            ▪ Devise a method of supporting public agencies or private agencies ability to serve clients with no source of insurance.

            ▪ Take advantage of the leadership we have with Senator Nesbitt and Larry Thompson to influence the reform of reform.

            ▪ Work on maintaining Medicaid finding at its present level