FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE CELEBRATE CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

BOSTON, Mass., May 6, 2012 – In a statewide effort to battle stigma and heighten the visibility of children’s mental health needs, the Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL), together with the Department of Mental Health and Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, present Children’s Mental Health Week. Families and leaders participate in awareness-raising activities throughout the month of May, including workshops and celebrations. Governor Patrick and Boston City Council Members Felix Arroyo and Ayanna Pressley, along with the Mayors of Brockton, Lynn, Lowell, Waltham, and Worcester, are all sponsoring proclamations declaring May 6 -12 as Children’s Mental Health Week. Scroll down or click here to view the Governor’s proclamation.

PPAL brought the celebration of Children’s Mental Health Week to Massachusetts in 1996, disseminating hundreds of tool-kits to individuals and organizations across the state. Tool-kits include: a poster, bookmarks, fact sheets, event calendars and other resources, helping the recipients promote the message of Children’s Mental Health Week to a greater public. Click here to view the complete 2012 Tool-kit. Each year, the celebration has grown in size, reaching more people with a message of dignity and inclusion. The 2012 theme, “Youth Overcoming Trauma,” reminds us that with challenge comes triumph, too.

Children’s Mental Health Week plays a critical role in promoting the challenges and triumphs of children and families in Massachusetts. Of the more than 1.4 million children living in Massachusetts, 18% have one or more emotional, behavioral or developmental condition. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. Many families are unclear about what actions to take to help their child. For 21 years, PPAL has advocated for improved access to mental health services for children, youth and their families.

Founded in 1991, PPAL is a statewide, grassroots family organization and is the only Massachusetts organization representing the interests of families whose children have mental health needs. PPAL strives to support families, nurture parent leaders and work for systems change. Now is a great time to support PPAL. Please click here to make a donation. For more information, contact Lisa Lambert, Executive Director at llambert@ppal.net or (617) 542-7860 x203.

Check Out Events in Your Area

Below, you will find recently added events, including a live TV broadcast! Click here to view our extended list of events celebrating Children’s Mental Health Awareness.

Wednesday, May 9 

Let’s Celebrate Kids Live Broadcast

Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN)

Comcast Channel 9 and RCN Channel 15 in the Boston Area

3:30 p.m.

Commissioner Fowler joins host Kimberley Bisset for a special broadcast celebrating Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. Broadcast will be available at www.youtube.com/employmentforall  

Saturday, May 12 

Walking for Awareness

DCR’s Artesani Park

Soldiers Field Road, Boston 02456

9 – 11 a.m.

NAMI Mass’ 9th Annual Walk for Mental Health Awareness, 3 miles/5K. For more information, please contact Valerie Hammond (781) 938-4048, vhammond@namimass.org or visit nami.org/namiwalks12/MAS/walkingforawareness

Friday, May 18

Riverside Trauma Center’s 2nd Annual Conference

Crowne Plaza

1360 Worcester Street, Natick 01760

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Expanding Trauma Interventions: Family, Culture and Community. Pre-registration is required. For more information, please contact bsuttle@riversidecc.org

Weekly Events

Free Monday Morning Workshops

10:00-11:30 a.m

Youth and Family Center

356B Broad Street Fitchburg 01420 

May 7  

When Bad Things Happen: Helping Children Cope with Trauma  

Presented by Kim Robles Santiago, LMHC,BC-DMT

May 14

Crisis Planning: Helping Families Prepare for a Mental Health Emergency Presented by Beth Pond, Parent/Professional Advocacy League

May 21

Roundtable Discussion with Sue Loring, Executive Director, Autism Resource Center of Central Mass  

For more information and/or to RSVP please contact the PPAL Office at 508-767-9725 Walk-ins’ welcome but not guaranteed handouts

Proudly Announcing 2012 Sponsors

We are excited to announce that the Department of Mental Health and Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership are once again partnering with PPAL to sponsor Children’s Mental Health Week.

In order to get to the Rayburn House Office Building please transfer at the Metro Center Station onto the BLUE line towards Largo Town Center.  Your final destination will be the Capitol South Station.

Rayburn House Office Building:  Exit metro station using 1st St SE exit. At the top of the escalator continue straight onto 1st St SE. At the first intersection, turn left on C St SE. Walk two blocks and turn right on South Capitol St. The entrance to the Rayburn House Office Building is halfway up that block on the left.

Legislative Briefing STD Flyer

Metro Directions to Rayburn House Office Building

The purpose of the Bill of Rights is to serve as a self-advocacy tool for consumers, youth and family members as they navigate the mental health system. How can you use this Bill of Rights?

• Carry the business-card sized Bill of Rights in your wallet so that you are always reminded of the ways that you can advocate for yourself and your family.
• Bring the poster sized Bill of Rights to your local provider’s office and see if they would allow it to hang in their lobby, which would help show that they are supportive of consumer-centered and family-centered care.
• Promote it to your local, state, and federal policymakers so that they can see how these best practices should be incorporated into all policies involving the health and human services field.
• If you are part of a family organization, encourage your board of directors to pass a resolution saying they support these rights.
• Disseminate it far and wide within your community and state–to any agency, organization, or institution that serves children, youth and adults with behavioral health needs. (For example: schools, agencies providing recovery support services, managed care companies, etc.)

Get the Bill of Rights!

You can download it in poster format and wallet-sized format.

Let us know how you use the Bill of Rights!

Download the Flyer Here

Greene Turtle Fundraiser in Olney, MD

Come support the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, The Montgomery County Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and the MD Coalition of Families as we fundraise at the Greene Turtle sports Bar and Grill in Olney, MD. We’ll be raising awareness around Children’s Mental Health and passing out free information.

In addition, if you dine at the Green Turtle during the first full week of May (May 6th – 12th) and bring in the attached flyer, 20% of your check will go toward the National Federation to help support us build new resources and tools for families, youth and children.

We”ll be fundraising during the entirety of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week so come on out!

Download the Flyer Here

Head on over to our Awareness Week Page.

Photo by Clay Spann

Kristin Melton, Mrs. Midwest International 2012, has a variety of experiences in the field of mental health. Her most recent includes being a parent of a child with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder — which has only intensified the passion she already had for educating communities about disorders and reducing the stigma that surrounds it.

Over the past 12 years, Kristin has worked with children and families in multiple capacities. She continues as a therapist in the outpatient counseling division of the Illinois Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services; assists Baptist Children’s Home with presenting the high school relationship curriculum, SMART Education, that she created and co-authored for them; currently serves as the social marketing coordinator at Egyptian Health Department promoting System of Care components to transform mental health service delivery; assists local schools with violence prevention and emotional abuse as a Certified Olweus Bullying Prevention Trainer; spent 6 years as a School Counselor in her home school district; and has served on the Saline County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Board and the Norris City-Omaha Wellness Committee. She is also a member of her local family-run organization, PACE (Parent And Caregiver Empowerment).

Next July, Kristin will be competing for the title of Mrs. International 2012 with the intention of bringing full international awareness and multi-country/culture/community collaboration for the Federation of Families. Together, the goal of educating communities will continue everywhere children and families have a need for youth guided, family driven, and strengths-based mental health services. Kristin stated that she feels “extremely privileged to be a part of an organization that works to bring full respect and support to the children and families engaging in mental health services — including the support I myself feel as a parent utilizing this organization.”

Kristin’s involvement with the International Pageant System began in 2008 when she won the title of Mrs. Illinois International 2009. She then competed with the 47 other state/regional/country winners at the Mrs International 2009 Pageant and was 1st Runner-up. Her love and respect for this system grows from the ideals that it promotes — a commitment to family and community. What a wonderful combination for a children’s mental health awareness campaign: a family focused pageant system; a motivated, caring parent, and a family empowerment organization.

For more information about Kristin and her advocacy visit www.kristinmelton.blogspot.com or www.greenribbonadvocate.com. For more information about the International Pageant System visit www.mrsinternational.com, www.miss-international.us, or www.missteeninternational.us.

The Foundation is based upon three pillars:

• Safety – creating a safe place to celebrate individuality
• Skills – teaching advocacy, promoting civic engagement, and encouraging self-expression
• Opportunity – providing ways to implement solutions and impact local communities

Lynda Richard, Director of Operations, who is leading NFFCMH’s efforts to partner with the Foundation, received an email from Cynthia Germanotta, President of  the Born This Way Foundation (and mother of Lady Gaga), asking “Please spread our message far and wide so that everyone can be part of this movement to build a braver, kinder world.”

For more information regarding Born This Way please contact http://bornthiswayfoundation.org