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Home My WebLink AboutCASSP Alert September 2013 DEP RTMENTAOFAPUBLICAWELF RE,AOfficeAofAMentalAHealthAandASubstanceA buseAServices,ABureauAofAChildren’sABehavioralAHealthAServices DGS Annex Complex, Beechmont Building, 2nd Floor, P. O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105 Phone: 717-772-7984; Fax: 717-705-8268; E-mail: c-hbicksle@pa.gov Beverly D. Mackereth, Secretary, Department of Public Welfare; Dennis Marion, Deputy Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Stan Mrozowski, Director, BureauAofAChildren’sABehavioralAHealthAServices:AHarrietAS,ABicksler.AAlert Editor Volume 22, Number 9; September 2013 FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS DAY IS SEPTEMBER 9 The ninth day of the ninth month— September 9—is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) acting director Ken Warren sums up the aimAofA warenessADay;A“TheAmessageAisA simple, not just on September 9, but every day: Women who are, who may be, or who are trying to become pregnant, shouldAnotAdrinkAalcohol,”APennsylvania’sA 2013 FASD Awareness Month Kick-Off will be held on September 9, from 1:00- 2:30 p.m. at the Findley Auditorium, Butler Memorial Hospital in Butler. KeynoteAspeakersAareADianneAO’ConnorA and her daughter Jasmine. More information at http://ow.ly/ogEbc WORKGROUP EXAMINES NEEDS OF TRANSITION AGE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS OMHSAS, in collaboration with the children’sAcommitteeAofAtheAMental Health Planning Council, has developed a statewide workgroup to more closely examine the needs and system challenges of transition-age youth and young adults (TAYYA). The purpose of the work group is to build on the cadre of innovative services and supports we have begun highlighting in webinars for TAYYA and to explore possible opportunities for system-wide replication. Several counties, behavioral health managed care organizations and providers are currently implementing various pilots for this population with much success and we would like to explore the approaches being used. At the first meeting of the workgroup in June, three priority areas were identified: regulatory barriers, transportation and housing issues, and community and natural supports for independent living. For more information, contact Doris Arena at darena@pa.gov. SPECIAL KIDS NETWORK ADDS SERVICE COORDINATION In 1996, the Special Kids Network (SKN) program began as an information and referral helpline through its toll-free number – 800-986-4550. The service focused on children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families, providing information to callers about needed resources. Even armed with information, parents frequently express difficulty in knowing how to navigate through the maze of health and human service systems intended to help them and their children. Complicating matters is the fact that needs of CYSHCN change throughout their lifespan, such as diagnosis, working with the health care system, contending with the educational system, and post- secondary transition. In response, the SKN program added a service coordination feature through a partnership with the PA Elks Home Service Program, a statewide, non-profit organization that provides in-home service coordination at no cost to families. Now, in addition to receiving information about resources, families can be referred to an Elks nurse if the child and/or family needs a more intensive level of assistance. The Elks nurse will comeAtoAtheAfamily’sAhome.AhelpAtoAfigureA out what is needed and then work with the family to get services. There is no charge to families for this service and all it takes is a call to the SKN helpline – 800- 986-4550. BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST LICENSING: REPORTING FRAUD AND MISCONDUCT As we continue to work to implement the behavior specialist license, it is important to be aware of the following resources and expectations:  If you believe a licensed behavior specialist has engaged in unprofessional or immoral conduct, you should file a complaint with the Board of Medicine. The Board of Medicine’sAdisciplinaryAprocessAisAsetA outAinAtheABoard’sAregulations at http://ow.ly/ogFHr. The definition of unprofessional or immoral conduct is at http://ow.ly/ogFNl  If you are aware of an arrest or conviction please contact the Board, even if you believe another entity, such as the courts, will be contacting them. They appreciate the contact and will be able to forward the information to their Compliance Office for review and/or investigation. The complaint process is at http://ow.ly/ogFTH. (Please note that this web page lists Pennsylvania’sA29AlicensingABoards.A of which the Board of Medicine is one. The site does not list the various individual license professions/types that are regulated by each of the 29 licensing Boards, including the Behavior Specialist License. However, the information included on this site does apply to behavior specialists licensed by the Board of Medicine. ) 2013 SUMMER THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES PROGRAM REPORT InA2013.AtheAChildren’sABureauAreviewedA 100 service descriptions for the Summer Therapeutic Activities Program (STAP). The majority (63) were revisions to previously approved service descriptions, with revisions primarily focusing on number of hours, separating descriptions by county, or meeting STAP bulletin standards. There were five new STAPS with six STAPS withdrawing their service description after submission. Of the previously approved STAPs, five expanded into new counties, three broadened the age span of children served, seven reduced the age span, and four increased the number of children served overall. In 2012, by comparison, 63 service descriptions were reviewed, and six new STAPS were approved. COMMONWEALTH APPROVED TRAINERS HOLD TRAIN-THE-TRAINER EVENT The annual Commonwealth Approved Trainer (CAT) Training of the Trainer for the Student Assistance Program was held on August 13-15 in Elizabethtown. Twenty-four CATs from across the Commonwealth attended in person. In addition to the annual board meeting, the agenda included trainings on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V), a gambling and youth awareness training, and an update on cyber safety and awareness. The next meeting of the Commonwealth Approved Trainers will be held in December in Harrisburg. NEW RESOURCES “PTSD,ATrauma,AandAComorbidA Psychiatric Disorders in Detained Youth,” from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, June 2013. Available at www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/239603.pdf “PromotingAChildren’sAHealthAandA Resiliency: A Strengthening Families pproach,” for primary health partners, from the Center for the Student of Social Policy. Available at http://ow.ly/ogDgq PA AAP AWARDED EARLY CHILDHOOD GRANT The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP) was recently awarded a three-year federal grant to help implement national health and safety standards in early learning centers. The grant project will demonstrate that linking a child care health consultant with participating Keystone STAR center for 12 months increases center compliance with the selected standards. It draws on the PA AAP experience collaborating with state partners in early childhood. The grant will beAcarriedAoutAbyAtheAP A P’sAEarlyA Childhood Education Linkage System- Healthy Child Care Pennsylvania (PA AAP- ECELS.) program. PA AAP-ECELS was one of the models for the establishment of the national Healthy Child Care America initiative that created related programs in all 50 states. PA AAP will select participating centers, and recruit child care health consultants and evaluators. For more information, contact Rosemary Johnston, project coordinator, at rjohnston@paaap.org or 484-446-3003. CONFERENCE/TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Sept:A12,A2013.A“BehavioralAHealthAin Primary Care: Clinical Strategies and Program Models for Working with High-RiskAYouth,”AThe Children’sAHospitalAofAPhiladelphia.A Philadelphia. More information at www.parecovery.org/documents/BH_Primary _Care.pdf Oct. 2-3, 2013: “Facing the Challenge: Helping Teachers Better Work with Children withAChallengingABehavior,”ATrain-the-Trainer Session, Ronald P. Byrd Conference Center, Villanova. Sponsored by Devereux Center for Resilient Children. More information at http://ow.ly/oag7P Oct. 2-3, 2013: Safe Schools Conference, Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville. Sponsored by the Center for Safe Schools. More information at http://www.center- school.org/pro_dev.php Oct. 16-17, 2013: “SuicideAPrevention.A CollaborationAisAKey,”APennsylvania Suicide Prevention Conference, Ramada Inn and Conference Center, State College. Sponsored by the PA Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative and the Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition. More information at www.payspi.org (News and Events). Oct. 16-18, 2013: 29th Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco, Ca. Sponsored by the Division for Early Childhood. More information at http://www.dec- sped.org/Conference Oct. 17-18, 2013: Fifth Annual Pennsylvania Infant Mental Health Conference, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Sponsored by the PA Infant Mental Health Association. More information at www.pa-aimh.org Oct. 22-24,A2013.A“IgnitingAtheAImagination.A InspiringA ction,”AEarly Childhood Education Summit, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College. Sponsored by the Office of Child Care and Early Learning. More information at https://earlychildhoodsummit.org/ Nov. 6-8. 2013: Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice, Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, Harrisburg. Sponsored by the Juvenile CourtAJudges’ACommissionAandAother,AMoreA information at www.jcjc.state.pa.us. Nov. 15-17,A2013.A“Children’sAMentalAHealthA Matters: Increasing Awareness and ImprovingAServices,” Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC. 24th Annual Conference of theAFederationAofAFamiliesAforAChildren’sA Mental Health, Washington, DC. More information at http://conference2013.ffcmh.org/ Mar. 3-6, 2014: 26th nnualAChildren’sAMentalA Health Research and Policy Conference, Hilton Tampa Downtown Hotel, Tampa, FL. Sponsored by the Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida. More information at http://cmhtampaconference.com/ April 9-10,A2014.A“InspiringAHope—Fostering Success,” Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey Hotel, Harrisburg. Sponsored by the PA Council for Children, Youth and Family Services. Deadline for presentation proposals is Aug. 12, 2013. More information at http://pccyfs.org/Spring_Conf.html April 23-25,A2014.A“SupportingAYoungA Children’sASocialAEmotionalADevelopment,” 11th Annual National Training Institute on Effective Practices, Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club, St. Petersburg, FL. Sponsored by the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention. More information at http://nti.cbcs.usf.edu/ Note: Additional children’sAmentalAhealthA training is available from Drexel University; University of Pittsburgh Office of Education and Regional Programs, and Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, (*new listing this month)