April 14, 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 Live ZOOM Meeting is tonight, April 14th at 7:00pm
Questions? Contact Margaret at [email protected]
Using Parent Experience to Improve the Children’s Mental Health System in Hennepin County
The Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative released its latest research during an online community dialogue with parents, providers, and community stakeholders about parent experience as they enter the children’s mental health system in Hennepin County. In their own voices: Parent experiences entering the Hennepin County children’s mental health system provides important information about families’ journeys as move through the children’s mental health system and try to find support and services for their children once a problem has been identified.
Recommendations from the report will be used by the Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative and partners to improve awareness about service, navigational supports to understand and find services as well as increase family driven responses to children’s mental health needs and improved peer supports for families.
Want to learn more? Read the Executive Summary or watch the plenary session, What we know, and don’t know, about children’s mental health in Hennepin County, on the Collaborative’s YouTube channel, or watch short (5 min or less) clips on Navigating the children’s mental health system, Family driven children’s mental health services, Awareness of children’s mental health services and supports and Access to peer support.
Contact the Collaborative’s Coordinator, Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn, or Evaluator, Cheryl Holm-Hansen if you would like to learn more about this research, or how the Collaborative will use the data to inform change.
Collaborative Meeting Announcements
The Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative Governance Committee will meet April 20th from 3:30-5:00 pm and the Executive Committee will meet May 6th from 9:00-11:00 am. If you would like to attend or access meeting materials, please contact Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn.
April Governance Committee Highlights:
- Identify priorities and strategies to improve children’s mental health system based on parent experience
- District 287 Update and Vote on LCTS Funding for 2022-2023
- Parent Engagement Activities
- Vote on New Governance Committee Members
- Children’s Minnesota Inpatient Unit Community Meeting
May Executive Committee Highlights:
- Expanding parent engagement and activities to support children’s mental health
- Review and discuss priority strategies to improve children’s mental health system based on parent experience
- Business Update
The 2022 meeting schedule is available online here.
Children’s Mental Health Scholarships, Training, and Sponsorship Resources
The Collaborative is committed to providing financial assistance to support training within the children’s mental health field in Hennepin County. Funding is available for scholarships, training, and sponsorships. Resources are available to parents, caregivers, providers and community stakeholders working to support children’s mental health. You are not required to be an active partner, or parent, of the Collaborative. Funding is available on a first come, first served basis throughout the year.
Three types of scholarships, training or learning have been prioritized in 2022:
- Scholarships to attend publicly announced children’s mental health conferences or trainings.
- Training grants (up to $1,000 each) for up to 10 community agencies that provide children’s mental health related trainings or workshops.
- Sponsorships (up to $1,000 each) will be available for up to three agencies, individuals (adult or youth), or providers to create or host plays, speeches, or public events that have clear children’s mental health focus or education goals.
For more information, contact Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn.
Community Resources
Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Building Self-Health Communities
Learn how childhood adversity impacts our lives, the lives of our children, and the health of our communities. This NEAR Science presentation will demonstrate the impacts of adverse childhood experiences and health and well-being and offer strategies to build resilience.
Understanding ACEs Presentation
Monday, May 2, 2022
6:00 PM – 8:00pm
Register in advance for the zoom link at: https://bit.ly/ACESMay2
FREE CEU’s available.
FREE Online Training for Behavioral Health Clinicians: Adolescent Sexual Health
The Adolescent Health Initiative of Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan developed an online training module for therapists that aren’t always comfortable talking about sexual health, including relationships, sexuality and gender identity.
Access Module Here.
