Webinar Series: Leveraging Different Sectors to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis
According to recent data from CDC, poor mental health symptoms and suicidal ideation are on the rise for high school students. Despite these rising needs for children and adolescents, including those experiencing serious emotional disturbances, research indicates gaps in services. Youth mental health outcomes are deeply rooted in social determinants of health. Traumatic experiences, poor access to services, and lack of connection to community during the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to rising rates of poor mental health outcomes for children and adolescents.
With support from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), ASTHO and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) have partnered to develop a four-part series focusing on the role of multiple sectors in addressing comprehensive youth mental health and well-being.
The Root of Poor Youth Mental Health Outcomes: How Public Health Goes Upstream and Convenes Cross-Sector Partners.
June 21, 2023, 2 – 3 p.m. ET
Public health has a key role to play in youth mental health including convening multiple sectors, addressing data needs, and promoting evidence-based policies. During this webinar, Safe States Alliance discussed the role public health can play in supporting a comprehensive approach to youth mental health. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development highlighted how the state is working collaboratively to implement data systems, policies, and programs for children and adolescent mental health.
Speakers
- Eva Bland, MPA, Program Manager, Safe States Alliance
- Jared Parrish, PhD, Senior Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist, Alaska Division of Public Health
- Patrick Sidmore, MSW, Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Meeting the Kids Where They Are: How the Education Sector Implements School Behavioral Health Systems
July 12, 2023, 1 – 2 p.m. ET
Public health agencies can work with state education agencies, local education districts, and schools can work collaboratively to improve access to care for students. During this webinar, the National Center for School Mental Health presented how to develop and maintain comprehensive school mental health systems. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services discussed state efforts to increase access to mental health services and programs in schools.
Speakers
- Ellen Essick, PhD, Section Chief, NC Healthy Schools Section, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- Hanaleah Hoberman, MPH, Senior Advisor for Children and Families, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- Sharon A. Hoover, PhD, Co-Director, National Center for School Mental Health and Director, Center for Safe Supportive Schools
Ending the Silence: A Case Study in Nonprofits’ Role in Addressing Youth Mental Health
July 25, 2023, 1 – 2 p.m. ET
Nonprofit organizations often offer education and programming that can enhance efforts by schools and other public health institutions. This webinar provided a case study of NAMI’s Ending the Silence, an engaging presentation that helps middle and high school -aged youth learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions, including serious mental illnesses, and what steps to take if they or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.
Speakers
- Juliana Hicks, Manager, Ending the Silence and Family & Friends, NAMI
- Nikki Rashes, Senior Manager, Programs and Digital Training Delivery, NAMI
- Claudia Page Hypes, Community Education Coordinator, NAMI Metro Suburban
Promoting Integration of Care: The Role of Pediatricians to Support Youth Mental Health
August 14, 2023
In 2021, three leading child and adolescent provider groups—the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association—declared what many U.S. families already knew: the youth mental health crisis has become a national emergency. Higher rates of children and adolescents reporting sadness, depression, and anxiety—coupled with national mental health workforce shortages—have created a tragic gap in services for youth.
One solution has been the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) Programs, sometimes referred to as Child Psychiatry Access Programs (CPAPs), which facilitate telehealth consultations between pediatricians and child and adolescent mental health professionals to support children with serious emotional disturbances. Hear from leaders of these provider groups on the successes of CPAPs and how to promote them in your jurisdictions.
Speakers
- Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
- Warren Ng, MD, President, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry