HSAC Forum report 2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mental Health: It Affeets All Ages elderly can not be separated from issues of housing; 3) you also can't separate out the continuum of care. Blazer said that funding for services will be "absolutely critical." Strobul's book, Creating a Circle of Caring, is a curriculum to open up churches and lay people to be concerned and involved in the welcoming of the mentally ill. Her experience with her schizophrenic son who has suffered for 24 years led to her stressing that some people need significant long -term care and not just medication. People like her son become institutionalized to rest homes and hospitals, and need early intervention so that they can lead more normal lives. Good crisis teams are needed desperately and special assistance money should be shared with case management and not only rest homes, so that the mentally ill can live in apartments with assistance. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES Forum participants separated into five working lunch sessions to begin the afternoon session. Each group concentrated on improving access to services for the Hispanic /Latino Community. Young Children's (Birth — Eight Years Old) Facilitator: Sue Russell ➢ Equity of access to services (poor, working poor, bi- lingual, geographic, communication skills, transportation, insured and uninsured). ➢ Ensure an early collaborative effort between schools, Mental Health, DSS, and Health Dept. ➢ Quality, availability and continuum of mental health services. ➢ Increase schools capacity to deal w/ mental health issues. ➢ Automatic mental health treatment services for children involved in domestic violence and child abuse. Adolescents Facilitator: Rebecca Young ➢ After - school services * Coordinate school and agency services to provide after- school services for older students (after - school is defined as all non - school hours, including summer). ➢ Services for youth growing up in violence * Provide comprehensive services for youth growing up in violence. * Provide support to children, families and the community regarding family violence. ➢ Out -of -home placements * Expand options for appropriate out -of -home placements. ➢ Crises services * Provide crises services. ➢ Adolescent substance abuse * Respond to the rate of adolescent substance abuse. * Provide services for adolescents growing up in homes where their parents are substance abusers. ➢ Strong partnerships between schools and mental health services * Develop strong partnerships between schools and mental health agencies /services. * Provide mental health services in the schools. 5