September 2022

In this Issue

1. Parent News, Opportunities and Trainings

2. Collaborative Meetings & Training Announcements

3. Workgroup Announcements

4. 988 Suicide and Crisis Line

5. Maternal and Infant Mental Health Resources

Parent New, Opportunities and Trainings

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 September 8th and October 13th and 7:00pm

Questions? Contact Margaret at [email protected]

Let’s Talk About It

Family Response and Stabilization Services with Kayla Renney, Nexus/FACTS and Asad Dahir, Hennepin County

PCLG is hosting a Let’s Talk About It event focusing on a new service which offers immediate in-person and culturally-specific support and stabilization

services for youth (ages 5-18) and their parents in Hennepin County. Come learn how to access these important family stabilization services for your family!

This event is being held on September 20th from 7:00-8:00pm. If you are interested in attending, you can register here Questions? Contact Margaret at [email protected]

Classes for Parents and Caregivers

NAMI Minnesota is hosting training series for parents and caregivers. There are two different options found below, each option has two different meeting dates to minimize schedule complications and maximize attendance.

Understanding the Children’s Mental Health System This class offers parents and guardians an overview of the children’s mental health system: including assessment, diagnosis, treatment options, insurance options, supportive services & advocacy. They also review parent/guardian rights in the mental health and school system. These sessions take place Monday, September 12th 6:30-8:00 PM and Monday, September 26th 6:30-8:00 PM.

You’re the Expert: How to Successfully Advocate for your Child

This class stresses the value of parent engagement and advocacy to ensure the best care and treatment for your child in the doctor’s office, the mental health system, and in public education settings. This class will focus on self care so parents and guardians can effectively advocate for their loved one in all settings.

These sessions take place Thursday, September 15 6:30-8:00 PM and Wednesday, September 28 6:30-8:00 PM

Collaborative Meetings & Training Announcements

The Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative Governance Committee will meet on September 21, 2022, from 3:30-5:00 pm. The Executive will meet on October 7th, 2022, from 9:00-11:00 am. If you would like to attend

or access meeting materials, please contact

Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn.

The 2022 meeting schedule is available online here.

Collaborative Parent Engagement Training is Postponed to October 26th! Paulette Mader, Senior Training &

Consultation Specialist, with New Jersey’s Children’s System of Care Training and Technical Assistance program through Rutger’s University will join us October 26th from 3:30-5:00 pm to provide an overview of family engagement in system of care and discuss strategies to engage families and in the Collaborative’s work.

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.

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.

Please reach out to staff support if you would like to attend future meetings.
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). Please reach out to staff support if you would like to attend future meet-
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. Please reach out to staff support if you would like to attend future meetings.
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.

Please reach out to staff support if you would like to attend future meetings.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call, text, or chat using 988 for anyone you know in need of mental health crisis support. Trained crisis specials can help de-escalate situations, support safety planning and offering coping skills. Phone services are currently available in English and Spanish.

The United States began the transition to the new three-digit dialing code 988 to reach crisis support. Calls, texts, and online chat from 988 will be routed to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (the Lifeline). The change is part of a nationwide effort to transition the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to a phone number people can more easily remember and access in times of crisis.

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.

CMHC’s Monthly E-Newsletter – September 2022