July 11, 2022
Parent News & Opportunities
The Parent Catalyst Leadership Group (PCLG Parents) is a program of the Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative. PCLG Parents work to improve the children’s mental health system AND provide support and guidance to parents and caregivers.
Contact Margaret at [email protected] to learn more or join other parents!
PCLG Parent Support Group ONLINE
The PCLG SUPPORT GROUP offers a safe place where you can connect with other parents & caregivers who are raising a child or youth with mental health challenges. Learn about resources and advocating for your child as you navigate through the system. Join us on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm to share your challenges and celebrate successes.
Our Next two Live ZOOM Meetings are July 14th at 7:00pm and August 11 and 7:00pm
Questions? Contact Margaret at [email protected]
NEW Parent Opportunities
Let’s Talk About It
PCLG is hosting a Let’s Talk About It Event focusing on Parenting Trans and Diverse Youth. JAC Stringer (he/him) will be providing attendees with the basics of supporting and uplifting transgender and gender diverse children and youth. Participants will discuss identities and how culture influences the way we think about gender and sexuality. JAC will share useful terminology, best practices, and allyship tools, as well.
This event is being held on July 19th, 2022, 7:00-8:00pm
If you are interested in attending, you can register here
Questions? Contact Margaret at [email protected]
WRAP for Caregivers
Parent Catalyst Leadership Group (PCLG) is offering Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) for parents and caregivers of children/youth with mental health challenges. We will explore ways of focusing on your wellness as a caregiver and also share challenges and coping strategies. Participants will be able to identify helpful resources and return home with a toolkit to guide them through tough moments.
This event is occurring on July 30th and 31st, 2022
If you are interested in attending, you can register here
Questions? Contact Liz at [email protected]
We Want to Hear from Parents about their Experience with School-based Mental Health
Are you passionate about children’s mental health? Is your child receiving, or was your child referred for, mental health or counseling services through their school?
Commissioner Kevin Anderson of Hennepin County District 7 is looking to connect with parents who have children receiving, or were referred for, mental health services through a school based mental health provider. Hennepin County expanded funding
Commissioner Kevin Anderson is hosting a meeting Thursday, August 11th from 6:00-7:00 PM at the Plymouth Community Center, and you’re invited to come to share your feedback and views with the commissioner at the meeting. Afterward, enjoy a tour of the Sensory Room that was included in the community center’s expansion. Contact Commissioner Anderson’s Policy Director Kristy Janigo to express interest and get more information, Kristy.janigo@
Collaborative Meeting Announcements
The Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative Governance Committee will meet on August 17, 2022, from 3:30-5:00 pm. The Executive will meet on August 5, 2022, from 9:00-11:00 am. If you would like to attend or access meeting materials, please contact Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn.
Neither the Executive nor Governance Committees will meet in July 2022. Workgroups and ad hoc committees will continue to meet during July.
The 2022 meeting schedule is available online here.
Workgroup Meeting Announcements
Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative and partners have created ad-hoc workgroups to respond the recommendations from children’s mental health journey mapping report, In their own voices: Parent experiences entering the Hennepin County children’s mental health system. The ad-hoc workgroups address the key themes from the report.
Contact staff if you are interested in participating in one of the workgroups to create a plan on how best to address the recommendations in the report.
1. Awareness of children’s mental health and available services (Staff support: Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn) Parents express great concern finding and accessing services for their children that were appropriate.
Next meeting date: 7/25/22 11:00-12:30
2. Access to peer support (Staff Support: Margaret Sullivan with support from Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn) Parents stated peer support was extremely helpful when searching for appropriate services for their child(ren).
Next meeting date: 7/15/22 10:00-11:30am
3. Offer navigators to help facilitate access to services (Combined with ad-hoc group #2) Most parents were challenged finding the right supports for their child(ren). Parents expressed gratitude for navigational support when provided by a professional, e.g. navigator and/or case manager.
Next meeting date: 7/15/22 10:00-11:30am
4. Family-driven Care (Staff Support: Cheryl Holm-Hansen)
Parents expressed challenges working to secure appropriate services for their children, and feeling like they had to continually advocate even when finding services.
Next meeting date: Please reach out to Cheryl Holm-Hansen if you would like to be made aware of future meetings.
Funding Awarded to Address Youth Violence and Mental Health
Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative (HCCMHC) and partners have created a workgroup to address the acute increase in youth violence and mental health needs of young people in Hennepin County. HCCMHC is pleased to announce funding will be made available for four mini grant applicants to address the increase in violence in the greater Minneapolis community. The Children’s Mental Health Collaborative worked with the Hennepin County’s Community Health Improvement Program (CHIP) to address the increase in acute violence and the mental health needs of the youth of Hennepin County.
A summary of funded programs can be found here.
Maternal & Infant Mental Health Resources
1-888-9-HELP4MOMS – National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
Pregnancy and a new baby can bring a range of emotions. Many women feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or exhausted at different times during their pregnancy or after having a baby.
These feelings can make it hard to care for yourself, care for your baby, or even do basic daily tasks. Sometimes these feelings go away on their own. But for some women, these emotions, if they last more than two weeks, are more serious and need treatment.
About the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy. The Hotline offers callers:
- Phone or text access to professional counselors
- Real-time support and information
- Response within a few minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Resources
- Referrals to local and telehealth providers and support groups
- Culturally sensitive support
- Counselors who speak English and Spanish
- Interpreter services in 60 languages
Frequently Asked Questions about the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.
Increased Access to Mental Health Services through Extended Medical Assistance Postpartum Coverage, Beginning July 1, 2022
Under current state law, the Medical Assistance (MA) postpartum period, starts on the date the pregnancy ends, even if the pregnancy does not end in a live birth due to stillbirth, miscarriage, or abortion. On July 1, 2022, MA Coverage Postpartum was extended from 60 days to 12 months.
These extended benefits will provide important access to mental health services to individuals and their families postpartum. Please help increase awareness among pregnant and postpartum families!
Below is a brief summary:
- New applicants or enrollees newly reporting pregnancy will have their eligibility period determined using the new 12 month postpartum extension rules.
- All current enrollees who are pregnant will have eligibility re-assessed and their eligibility period will be automatically extended to 12 months following their due date.
- Current enrollees who were enrolled as a pregnant woman on MA in the last year, but who are no longer pregnant will have eligibility re-assessed and will be given any remaining months of their 12 month postpartum period.
- Women who were enrolled as a pregnant women on MA/ CHIP MA in the last year, but who are no longer pregnant, and who are no longer MA enrollees, will be sent a notice informing them of the legislative change and the opportunity to have eligibility redetermined for any remaining months of their 12 month postpartum period.
Help Staff and Eligible Family Access Frontline Worker Pay
Governor Walz and MN Legislature made frontline worker pay a priority this legislative session;
https://frontlinepay.mn.gov/. Applications are expected to open this summer June 8-July 22, 2022, and will have 45 days to apply for Frontline Worker Pay.
Employees who worked 120 hours in Minnesota in between March 15, 2020-June 30, 2021 in one of the following sectors
- building services, including maintenance, janitorial and security;
- child care;
- courts and corrections;
- emergency responders;
- food service, including production, processing, preparation, sale and delivery;
- ground and air transportation services;
- health care;
- long-term care and home care;
- manufacturing;
- public health, social service and regulatory service;
- public transit;
- retail, including sales, fulfillment, distribution and delivery;
- schools, including charter schools, state schools and higher education;
- temporary shelters and hotels; and
- vocational rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions are addressed here.
MACMH Summer Training Series
Minnesota Association of Children’s Mental Health (MACMH) is offering a strong summer training series on a wide range of topics this summer. Topics include multicultural awareness training for helping professions, pandemic life and developmental detours, supporting LGBTQ+ Youth, suicide prevention and understanding circumstances that may lead young men to engage in criminal behaviors.
For more information, visit https://macmh.org/event-page/
