PAL is holding a Training for Law Enforcement Officers, Legal Professionals, and other First Responders!

DATE:  January 14, 2009 (Snow Date: January 15, 2009)

TIME:  Registration at 9; Training is 9:30am-12:30pm, with continental breakfast and lunch included 

LOCATION:  Holyoke Community College, Kittredge Center, 303 Homestead Ave. Holyoke, MA

 
Click Here to Register!

Have you ever been in a challenging situation with a youth with mental health needs?  This training is based off of our highly successful Police Pocket Guide, and it is designed to give law enforcement officers, legal professionals, and other first responders concrete and specific tools, techniques, and resources on responding to and working with youth with mental health needs and their families.  We are here to work with you to make your job easier!

For directions and parking for HCC, please visit: http://www.hcc.edu/about/documents/HCCDirectory06.pdf

For questions or additional information, contact Stephany Melton, Education and Communications Coordinator, at 617-542-7860 x202 or smelton@ppal.net.

Background Information on the Guide

In 2001, we created our widely successful Police Pocket Guide, which is a practical guide for police and other first responders on how to respond to youth with mental health needs. This year, with grants from The Boston Foundation and Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP), we have updated the guide, and we are now developing a training to accompany the guide.

For a copy of the Guide, contact Stephany Melton, Education and Communications Coordinator, at 617-542-7860 x202 or smelton@ppal.net.

“Medications and Choices: The Perspective of Families and Youth” is a ground breaking, family-driven study of the decision making process families go through when they choose to use psychotropic medication to treat their child’s mental health needs.  Survey data from 274 parents and more than 80 youth document many common experiences such as a search for reliable information, trials of alternative treatments and concerns about financial costs.  

Over the past several years, there has been a great deal of heated discussion about the rising use of psychiatric medications to treat children and adolescents.  Media coverage has produced mixed reactions in many parents, who have felt their experiences were not accurately portrayed.  Although each family’s experience is unique, many common elements and key values emerged in this study. Most strikingly, parents feel caught between their own experience of the effectiveness of medication and their concerns that medications may be stigmatizing or risky.

To read the full report, click here

PAL is the Statewide Organization of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health.

PAL is an organization of more than 4,000 Massachusetts families and professionals who advocate on behalf of children with emotional, behavioral and mental health needs and their families. PAL advocates for supports, treatments and policies that enable families to live in their communities in an environment of stability and respect.

PAL provides support, training and technical assistance to a large network of PAL family support specialists. They, in turn, provide support, information and advocacy resources to thousands of families across Massachusetts. As the state organization of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, PAL is positioned to use its resources to support families so that they can then draw from their experiences to impact others locally, regionally and across the state.

At PAL, our four-pronged approach of support, information and referral, training and advocacy increases the ability of many families

• to access treatments, services and supports for their children and themselves
• to exchange information on services, education, legal and policy issues and
• to advocate for their children both on an individual basis and in public forums.

We celebrate the strengths of our families and provide the "connectedness" that is often lacking between families experiencing similar situations.

Emotional, behavioral and mental health needs cut across all income, education, racial, ethnic and religious groups. They are found among single parent and two-parent families and in birth, adoptive and foster homes.

Families may face many challenges. The absence of appropriate care and treatment may prevent many from participating in a range of activities, resulting in isolation from friends and relatives. Often they must learn to cope with the difficult and demanding behaviors of their children and may face staggering costs for special treatment, education or other services.

Families also have many strengths. Numerous families have learned to manage their circumstances very well and have a repertoire of support networks and strategies they can share with others. They also have a unique view of the strengths and weaknesses of the service system.

A wide range of therapeutic, educational and support services are essential to address the needs of these children and their families. Many children and adolescents receive services from their schools, through their insurance and from mental health professionals. Others may obtain services from state agencies including the Department of Social Services, the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Youth Services and the Department of Public Health. A significant number may receive services through the juvenile courts.

Mental health needs can be identified and treated. As children and adolescents grow up, access to supports and services can lead to successes and positive results. Early identification and effective treatment can make a major difference in the lives of children and adolescents and help them reach their full potential.