Children with mental disorders.
- sometimes commit suicide.
- who are male are more likely to successfully commit suicide.
- who are a minority are experiencing the most population growth.
- are at increased risk for child abuse.
- like depression are twenty to fifty percent more likely to be
from a family with a history of depression.
- are not getting the services they need.
- experience stigma that prevent some from seeking treatment or
seeking services at a later stage in life resulting in more costly
services.
- often do not receive research proven care and treatment or best
practices.
- have difficulty accessing culturally appropriate services.
- often experience complex enrollment processes that make it difficult
to access needed care.
- who are uninsured and are below 100% of the federal poverty level
often exceeding the eligibility criteria for Medicaid.
- often experience fragmented funding systems that contribute to
duplication of services, lack of coordination, and lack of communication
between service providers. lack prevention, and early intervention
services.
- often have co-occurring substance abuse problems.
The preliminary planning recommendations listed below are based upon
literature, data for Austin/Travis County, a community forum, focus
groups, and input from community members. These recommendations attempt
to address the needs of children with mental disorders, and the community
to improve public mental health in Austin/Travis County.
- Increase the availability, service options and accessibility
of children's mental health services to families regardless of
ability to pay. Eliminate categorical funding constraints to
enable flexible purchase of services that address family needs
while meeting funding agency mandates. Examine eligibility and
financial requirements for services and determine integrated approach
for addressing community need. Advocate for parity for coverage
of a wide range of mental health service options on managed care
plans. Train providers about service options for families requiring
referral assistance.
- Implement a tracking system to identify and monitor families
who are forced to relinquish custody of their child(ren) in order
to have the child's mental health needs met. Develop process
for monitoring Travis County families who relinquished custody
of their children. Ensure families given the option of custody
relinquishment for accessing care are provided with a referral
to the Travis County Community Resource Coordination Group for
community staffing and referral.
- Implement best practices and incorporate cultural competence
in the development of treatment plans for children with mental
health needs and their families. Providers will be given training
on how to develop and implement culturally competent treatment
plans.
- Increase the number of mental health providers available to
families within their own neighborhoods, communities, or schools. Services
should be available at times that are convenient to the family
and child in order to reduce the risk of loss of work productivity
due to parental absence from employers and to increase the amount
of time children and parents can meet with service providers. Enable
funders of services to give priority funding or incentives to mental
health providers who offer families flexible times and convenient
locations for the delivery of mental health services.
- Collaborate with all entities serving children to develop a
plan for diverting funding of mental health services from program/agency-based
to community-based practices. Encourage the collaboration between
mental health providers and childcare providers to ensure children
with mental health needs receive adequate support through early
childhood. Ensure family voice and choice in services, funding
and policy.
- Conduct community assessment of current numbers of children
on waiting lists. Develop a plan for diverting families to
other agencies that may not have a waiting list. Determine which
managed care plans require expansion of providers to enable faster
access to mental health care. Work with managed care companies
to expand their provider network.
- Enable funders of mental health services to require providers
make services available to juveniles with mental health needs by
broadening the criteria for eligibility into services. Ensure
provider services are accessible, available and appropriate for
juveniles with mental health needs and their families.
- Track cases referred by the Juvenile Probation Department to
mental health providers to determine the amount of time it takes
to access care and any issues preventing juveniles from receiving
services. Track the number of juveniles unable to receive care
from community-based providers and determine the resulting cost
involved in juvenile justice having to purchase the services. Increase
number of providers utilizing the strength-based family-driven
model of care.
- Train providers on the strength-based, family-driven approach
to care. Promote the idea of families as partners in the care
of their children and that they are given voice and choice of providers
and services.
- Involve families of children with mental health needs at all
levels of the community system of care: policy, practice and service
delivery. Promote active advocacy from families of children
with mental health needs.
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