Inside Track

Our children’s mental health system had gaps and flaws before the pandemic. COVID-19 only made things worse. However, there are growing efforts to make improvements in schools, insurance, crisis care and family support.

Please join us at the Inside Track, a PPAL briefing and networking meeting to get updated on new and current resources, news, legislative changes and advocacy efforts that affect children, youth and families.

September 2024

Slides from September 2024

PPAL's Question of the Month: Answer Now!
https://ppal.net/question-of-the-month/

PPAL's Events Calendar: https://ppal.net/events/

Register for the November Inside Track with a conversation about PANS/PANDAS with parent advocate Sheilah Gauch, Principal and Clinical Director of Dearborn Academy, a therapeutic day school that services students with social/emotional and learning needs: https://bit.ly/11-2024InsideTrack

DCF Implementation of Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)

U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: The Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents

Learn more about the Children's Mental Health Campaign

Massachusetts Legislative Process:

Potential Legislative Priorities for PPAL (See slides for more information)

Poll: Which of the above priorities would be most impactful for your family?

polling results from attendees

  • Respite for Families of Children with Mental Health Needs; 24%
  • Adding Family Voice to Interagency Review Of Complex Cases 15%
  • Establishing a Children’s Cabinet; 15%
  • Restraint/Seclusion; 13%
  • DESE/DDS Residential Prevention Program- Expand to DMH; 11%
  • Emergency Services Disability Indicator Form; 6%
  • Expanding Professionals That Can Diagnose ASD; 6%
  • Increase Awareness of 988/BHHL/CBHCs?; 6%
September
2024
May 2024

Slides from May 2024

PPAL's Question of the Month
https://ppal.net/question-of-the-month/

New IEP form resources:
https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/improveiep/

Upcoming trainings on policy and decisions: Visit PPAL's Events Calendar!
https://ppal.net/events/

Legislation Update Links:

Parent Advocacy Ideas:

  • NOTE: We are NOT meeting in July! Have a great summer! See you in September!
May
2024
March 2024

Slides from March 2024

 PPAL's Question of the Month
https://ppal.net/question-of-the-month/

Updated DESE Teacher Evaluation Standards
https://www.doe.mass.edu/edprep/resources/guidelines-advisories/teachers-guide/

DESE Racial Equity Toolkit
https://www.doe.mass.edu/rlo/psm/civilrights-toolkit/index.html#/

School Attendance Data
https://educationtocareer.data.mass.gov/stories/s/vuut-f46x

Respite Innovations Grant
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/respite-innovations-grant

Caregiver to Caregiver/C2C Respite Network
https://fcsn.org/c2c/#:~:text=It%20draws%20on%20caregiver%20capacity,is%20culturally%20and%20linguistically%20affirming

The Home For Little Wanderers Connected Families Respite (CFR) Program
https://www.thehome.org/programs/clinical-behavioral/connected-families-respite-program/

House of Possibilities Inc. Respite
https://www.houseofpossibilities.org/programs-for-children

Emissary Health, Inc. Respite
https://app.emissaryhealth.org/about

Seven Hills Family Services Inc. Respite
https://www.sevenhills.org/programs/respite-supports

Northeast Arc, Inc.  Respite
https://ne-arc.org/services/family-services-and-recreation/guided-personal-supports/transition-and-school-supports/

Boss Lady Sister LL - We Rock The Spectrum Care  Respite
https://werockthespectrumwestford.com/we-rock-care/

Lifepath, Inc.  Respite
https://lifepathma.org/what-we-offer/care-at-home/respite-services/

Riverside Community Care Inc, Riverside Caregivers SOAR: Sustainable Opportunities for Accessing Respite
https://www.riversidecc.org/riverside-caregivers-soar-sustainable-opportunities-for-accessing-respite/

Advocates Inc.  Respite
https://advocates.org/services/respite-options

Boston Public Schools Funding
https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=14&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=44626&PageID=1

Complex Case Review
https://www.mass.gov/regulations/101-CMR-2700-interagency-review-of-complex-cases

PPAL FAMILY ADVOCACY GROUP
Sign up for our mailing list and tell us your ideas and topics you are invested in!
Example: School, Child Requiring Assistance, Psychiatric Hospital, Emergency rooms, Respite, Restraint/Seclusion
PBows@PPAL.net

March
2024
January 2024

Slides from January 2024

What is Respite: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/129346781.pdf

Respite Innovations Grant: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/respite-innovations-grant

Caregiver 2 Caregiver Respite: https://fcsn.org/c2c/#:~:text=It%20draws%20on%20caregiver%20capacity,is%20culturally%20and%20linguistically%20affirming.

Now open to families: https://fcsn.org/c2c/

DMH ED Diversion Initiative

Youth Villages Intercept ED Boarding

Tufts Intensive Hospital Diversion (ED Diversion): https://tuftshealthplan.com/documents/providers/behavioral-health/intensive-hospital-diversion-perf-specs

Children’s Mental Health Campaign (CMHC): https://www.childrensmentalhealthcampaign.org/

Legislation: What Can I Do?

Legislation: Hearings and Testimony: https://malegislature.gov/Events

2023/4 legislation: where are we in the legislative process? https://malegislature.gov/Bills/Search

2023/24 Legislation part 2: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint

S.101 / H.134, An Act regarding families and children in need of assistance. https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H134

Current legislation:

Question of the Month

Media Requests: info@PPAL.net

January
2024
November 2023

Slides from November 2023

Bulletins

PANS/PANDAS

Are you a parent/caregiver with direct experience with DCF reports made by your child's school?

Family Matters 1st, Movement for Family Power, and Boston University is conducting the study. Compensation Available.

Contact Andrew King
arking86@bu.edu
857-209-1117

PPAL Media Requests: info@ppal.net

Looking to hear from:

  • Families that have multi-agency involvement
  • (including court, CRA and other avenues)
  • Peer counseling experiences
  • Foster families willing to talk about waiting in ER and not getting assessed timely for mental health crises
  • Family experience with CBHCs (Community Behavioral Health Centers)
  • 988 and BHHL ( Behavioral Health Helpline)
  •  Have you used either? How is it working?
November
2023
January 2023

Slides from January 2023

Bulletins

Networking Resources

January
2023
September 2022

Slides from September 2022

Bulletins

Community Updates:

  • DMH Program for Acute Community Treatment (PACT) for Youth
  • FAMILIES NEEDED to speak to the following media about various Behavioral Health topics:
    • Boston Magazine, CBS News, WBUR, Boston Children's Hospital Behavioral Health Summit (in-person event)
    • Interested? contact:
  • Restraint and Seclusion Update–

Juvenile Justice Updates:

Policy Updates

  • ABC Mental Health Omnibus Bill
    • Online Portal to track BH Boarding and available beds (Session Law– Acts of 2022 Chapter 177- AN ACT ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SECTION 2, Section 16P) 
    • Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Program (Session Law– Acts of 2022 Chapter 177- AN ACT ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SECTION 4, Section 16FF)

Networking

Resources: 

Events:

Job Openings:

PPAL Events:

September
2022
July 2022

Slides from July 2022

Bulletins

Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, July 2022: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-discipline-guidance.pdf

988 resources:

Current Bills discussed:

DMH Community and School Therapeutic Support – Family Support

Networking Resources

Community resources: 

Project Bread: Free Meals For Kids in MA

Boston Public Schools Accessing MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT During Summer Break factsheet

Hand Hold MA

Smart911

Karaya Peer Respite

Afiya Peer Respite

Books

NAMI’s "Meet Little Monster" Children’s Mental Health Coloring & Activity Book

DMH’s Different Kinds of Hurt: Isaac’s Story

Wendy O’Leary’s THE MONSTER PARADE and other books

Job openings:

More Than Words Job Openings

Boston Public Schools Job Openings

The Support Network / Consortium Job Openings

PPAL Job Openings

Support Groups/ Trainings:

Autism Support Group Every Wednesday. Wandamontes@nafi.com

Youth Move MA Virtual Youth Group every first Tuesday of the month from 5:00pm-6:30pm-- email youthmovema@ppal.net

Sibling support group–https://bit.ly/SiblingSupportFlyer2022  

PPAL Events, Workshop and Parent Support Calendar: www.PPAL.net/events

July
2022