Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ Category:
Written on November 5th, 2010 by Michael Reberone shout
Hey all,
This message comes from Alex Knapp, a PA youth leader working fro the Disability Rights Network. He brought this issue to my attention and I thought it needed to be shared with you!
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My name is Alex and I am transition age youth mental health consumer and I want to alert you of a current document out for comment. The 3800 regulations are available and to ensure systematic change which will have positive impact on our age group your voice is essential. I realize this document, in its entirety is over 150 pages long and I do not assume that anyone will choose to review the entire thing, however, there are specific parts to the document that need our input!
I encourage you to review § 23.17 Reportable Incidents, § 23.18 Recordable Incidents, § 23.32 Specific Rights, § 23.102 Child Bedrooms, § 23. 183 Use of Prescription Medications, § 23.205 Emergency Safety Intervention, and § 23.229 Education. Below you will find a breakdown of some of these regulations and why you need to voice your opinions in response to them.
§ 23.17 Reportable Incidents & § 23.18 Recordable Incidents (Starts on page 18)
What must a facility report to the state? What must a facility record in your record? Who is mandated and who isn’t to provide initial contact and notification of restraints to your parents/legal guardians? Are you given the option of giving that initial contact? All of this information and more can be found in these sections.
§ 23.32 Specific Rights (Starts on page 29)
This is one of the most important sections found within the RTF regulations. This section outlines the rights of residents. Currently these rights do not include appropriate clothing for youth with different gender identities than their biological gender. With the recent suicides in the GLBTQ community gender identity must be protected. This section also discusses mailings, telephone communication, visitation, search and seizure, grievance procedure and methods of discipline.
IF YOU ONLY READ AND COMMENT ON ONE SECTION, THIS IS THE SECTION TO CHECK OUT!
§ 23.102 Child Bedrooms (Starts on page 52)
The new regulations allow for single rooms and rooms with two residents. This section states space mandates and furniture requirements. Currently they do not require a writing space or a private space to keep personal items. This information and more can be found in this section.
§ 23.183 Use of Prescription Medications (Starts on Page 73)
Can a child refuse medication? Who has the right to consent to medications for the child? What if a child over the age of 14 refuses to consent to specific medications but his parents do consent? This section speaks all about medications, consent and rights. It’s an important section and as transition-age youth needs our input.
§ 23.205 Emergency Safety Intervention (Starts on Page 81)
If you have ever been or have ever seen someone being restrained, you know it’s not fun or pleasurable. This section sets guidelines and mandates protocol of restraints. It needs reviewed by people who have lived it, the professionals say they have our best interest, but we have experienced it. This section NEEDS US!
§ 23.299 Education (Starts on Page 104)
What are the rights of someone in an RTF when it comes to education? Will they help residents prepare for postsecondary education? What if a resident graduates while in RTF, may they continue their education? Find out in this section.
This document in whole needs our voice. Check out the whole thing or specific sections and do not be afraid to comment on it! You can find the proposed documents at http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol40/40-43/2002a.html and send comments to ra-rtfcomment@state.pa.us
If you need help accessing or comment the documents feel free to contact me or any leader of the Youth Outreach Union. My contact information is as follows: (717) 829-3981 or aknapp@drnpa.org Thanks, Alex C. Knapp. 
Written on October 18th, 2010 by Michael Reberno shouts
Hey all,
This message comes from Karen Mallah, the director of the Pennsylvania System of Care (SOC) Initiative.
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Attention Youth of Pennsylvania:
Now is your chance to get your voice heard on the Statewide level. The PA System of Care Partnership now has two openings for Youth on the State Leadership Team, which will allow you to have an equal voice with the leaders of Pennsylvania’s child-serving systems. Details about this exciting opportunity are enclosed in the attachment. We need your voice!!!
For more information about this position, or if you have any questions, please contact Brian Satterfield, who was formerly on the State Leadership Team and is now one of our Partnership’s two Youth Involvement Specialists. His contact information is below.
Brian Satterfield
Pennsylvania Partnership
Youth Involvement Specialist
satterfieldb@upmc.edu
(484)-680-0068 (Call or Text)
As stated in the attached document, please send your applications to me.
Thanks and take care,
Karen Mallah, PhD, Director
PA System of Care Partnership
120 East Azalea Drive
Logan Building, Room 102
Harrisburg, PA 17110-3594
(717) 772-7615 office
(717) 772-7699 fax
mallahk@upmc.edu
“For each child that’s born, a morning star rises and sings to the universe who we are.”
— Sweet Honey in the Rock
Written on March 23rd, 2010 by Michael Reber2 shouts
The message below comes from the director of the Children’s Bureau at the state Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. To sum it up, the state wants to know what youth think about services they are getting for mental health and “behavioral” issues.
The two main questions are in BOLD below and responses should be submitted by April 12, 2010. If you want to leave your response as a comment to the blog, we’ll submit them in one large bundle on the 12th.
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OMHSAS is gathering input for the “Call for Change,” a strategic plan for quality, effective behavioral health services for children and their families. This effort is similar to the successful Call for Change that earlier helped transform the adult system.
The Call for Change will build on the research literature, on an analysis of the current system, input from systems partners, and on past efforts such as the Mercer review of family based and evidence based practice, the OMHSAS/OCYF Residential work group, and the OMHSAS Children’s Retreat.
The plan will also incorporate the implications of the SAMHSA System of Care Grant, which will develop systems of care in 15 counties to serve youth age 8-18 that have serious behavioral health needs and are involved in child welfare or juvenile justice, especially those that are in or at risk for residential placement.
We are seeking the input of organizations and individuals that have insight into strengths and weaknesses of the children’s behavioral health system. One means of gathering input is to ask for a written response to the following two questions:
1. What is your overall impression of the publicly funded system of children’s behavioral health services in Pennsylvania?
2. What are the areas for improvement?
Would you please ask youth and young adults to provide us with input on these two questions? If you are able to provide input by April 12th, we will use that input to inform the draft that will be prepared for public review starting at the May 5th OMHSAS Advisory Committee meeting. That Draft will be sent to you, and there will be more opportunity for you to provide additional input.
Please let me know if you have any questions; I look forward to receiving your response.
Stan Mrozowski
smrozowski@state.pa.us
Written on November 27th, 2009 by Administratorno shouts
This is our first post to open up the Mental Health portion of the blog.
If you have news or information about youth and mental health that you want to share, go to the Youth Outreach Union website and join as a youth leader.
