Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category:
Written on November 5th, 2010 by Michael Reberone shout
Hey all,
This message comes from Alex Knapp, a PA youth leader working fro the Disability Rights Network. He brought this issue to my attention and I thought it needed to be shared with you!
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My name is Alex and I am transition age youth mental health consumer and I want to alert you of a current document out for comment. The 3800 regulations are available and to ensure systematic change which will have positive impact on our age group your voice is essential. I realize this document, in its entirety is over 150 pages long and I do not assume that anyone will choose to review the entire thing, however, there are specific parts to the document that need our input!
I encourage you to review § 23.17 Reportable Incidents, § 23.18 Recordable Incidents, § 23.32 Specific Rights, § 23.102 Child Bedrooms, § 23. 183 Use of Prescription Medications, § 23.205 Emergency Safety Intervention, and § 23.229 Education. Below you will find a breakdown of some of these regulations and why you need to voice your opinions in response to them.
§ 23.17 Reportable Incidents & § 23.18 Recordable Incidents (Starts on page 18)
What must a facility report to the state? What must a facility record in your record? Who is mandated and who isn’t to provide initial contact and notification of restraints to your parents/legal guardians? Are you given the option of giving that initial contact? All of this information and more can be found in these sections.
§ 23.32 Specific Rights (Starts on page 29)
This is one of the most important sections found within the RTF regulations. This section outlines the rights of residents. Currently these rights do not include appropriate clothing for youth with different gender identities than their biological gender. With the recent suicides in the GLBTQ community gender identity must be protected. This section also discusses mailings, telephone communication, visitation, search and seizure, grievance procedure and methods of discipline.
IF YOU ONLY READ AND COMMENT ON ONE SECTION, THIS IS THE SECTION TO CHECK OUT!
§ 23.102 Child Bedrooms (Starts on page 52)
The new regulations allow for single rooms and rooms with two residents. This section states space mandates and furniture requirements. Currently they do not require a writing space or a private space to keep personal items. This information and more can be found in this section.
§ 23.183 Use of Prescription Medications (Starts on Page 73)
Can a child refuse medication? Who has the right to consent to medications for the child? What if a child over the age of 14 refuses to consent to specific medications but his parents do consent? This section speaks all about medications, consent and rights. It’s an important section and as transition-age youth needs our input.
§ 23.205 Emergency Safety Intervention (Starts on Page 81)
If you have ever been or have ever seen someone being restrained, you know it’s not fun or pleasurable. This section sets guidelines and mandates protocol of restraints. It needs reviewed by people who have lived it, the professionals say they have our best interest, but we have experienced it. This section NEEDS US!
§ 23.299 Education (Starts on Page 104)
What are the rights of someone in an RTF when it comes to education? Will they help residents prepare for postsecondary education? What if a resident graduates while in RTF, may they continue their education? Find out in this section.
This document in whole needs our voice. Check out the whole thing or specific sections and do not be afraid to comment on it! You can find the proposed documents at http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol40/40-43/2002a.html and send comments to ra-rtfcomment@state.pa.us
If you need help accessing or comment the documents feel free to contact me or any leader of the Youth Outreach Union. My contact information is as follows: (717) 829-3981 or aknapp@drnpa.org Thanks, Alex C. Knapp. 
Hey guys,
Sometimes, we can create wonderful- and sometimes “alternative”- support systems. Other times, we end up being a part of someone else’s.
SAMHSA if having a video contest on this topic. I think it would be pretty cool if we could show people that youth can support each other by winning this thing!
What a Difference a Friend Makes” Video and Essay Contest
SAMHSA and the Ad Council are pleased to announce the What a Difference a Friend Makes Contest. If you have a great story about how you have been there for a friend through his/her recovery from a mental health problem, or how a friend has been there for you, we’d love to hear from you.
Friendship and support are key aspects of recovery from mental health problems. Individuals are more likely to seek help in an environment of acceptance and understanding. SAMHSA and the Ad Council have launched this video and essay contest to promote the powerful testimonies of friends supporting each other in recovery, and to further awareness and education about the vital importance of mental health.
If you know of someone who has a compelling story, please encourage him/her to participate.
It’s simple to enter—just submit a short video or an essay that tells in a creative and meaningful way how you’ve supported a friend during a tough time in his/her life or how a friend supported you. The story can be based on your real-life experience, and it does not need to reveal the identity of the friend (unless the friend agrees to participate). Be sure to follow the rest of our rules and guidelines. We look forward to seeing your submission soon.
Entries must be received by August 31, 2010. Winners will be announced September 15, 2010.
Prizes
- One Video Contest Grand Prize: Trip for two to the 2010 Voice Awards in Hollywood,CA, where the winning video will be shown during the event
- Two Video Contest Runner-Up Prizes: A Flip MinoHD™ video camera
- Two Essay Contest Prizes: A Flip MinoHD™ video camera
Written on June 10th, 2010 by Administratorno shouts
We will begin on-line chats again.
The next one will be:
June 15th @ 7:30pm
Visit www.toxbox.com/Michael9374/Website-Upgrade-Planning-Meeting for details.
Written on May 27th, 2010 by Administratorno shouts
Creating the Incredible
Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, Pennsylvania Association of Pediatrics, and the PEAL Center are creating a new program for youth with disabilities to become empowered to be able to make changes in the state.
We are looking for youth leaders with disability from Pennsylvania, ages 14-28, to participate in a leadership development Institute and to bring their experiences to the group. We have exciting activities planned where youth will meet other young leaders who are making a difference in their communities. Please encourage youth leaders with disabilities from central Pennsylvania to apply for the LDI on June 26th and 27th at the Penn Stater in State College Pennsylvania.
The meeting will be Saturday evening from 5p.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Youth under 18 years of age will be required to bring a parent of adult chaperone. The hotel room, food, and travel will be paid by the PEAL Center. YOUTH MUST APPLY TO ATTEND THIS EVENT!
Space is limited and youth applicants will be selected by their interest and experience in working with groups and activities that demonstrate their desire to assume leadership roles, through their application. Youth will be notified of their selection by June 11th.
All applications are due by June 10.
Please go to survey monkey to complete the application, the link is:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PD67VMN
If you have any difficulty please contact Leslie Kolenda at lkolenda@pealcenter.org or 412.281.4404 x 21.
If you need more information about the event, please contact Josie at josiebadger@hotmail.com or call Josie at: 724-944-0429
Written on March 11th, 2010 by Michael Reberno shouts
Hey everyone,
We’ve completed our first on-line chat test. We used Skype, Tiny Chat, and Tok Box. We’ve decided to do a more in depth trial of Tok Box for next week. This meeting is open to all members of our state-wide advisory board.
We hope to begin having regular chats that are open to general youth input once we hammer out the bugs, so keep your eyes peeled for the roll out!
Begin within,
Michael
“Children broken by the world become the adults most likely to change it,”
~Frank Warren, founder of Post Secret
Written on March 8th, 2010 by Michael Reberno shouts
Hey all,
We’re going to be piloting some organizational chat sessions for the Youth Outreach Union. These will serve to keep the advisory committee on task in between quarterly meetings in State College. They will also be an open opportunity for any registered member of the Youth Outreach Union to partcipate in discussion about where the union is going and what is coming up for youth in Pennsylvania.
We will be using Skype(r) to host the chats. If you currently use Skype and want to participate in a chat, please pass along your Skype username so that we can add you to the chat list.
Chats will be held every other Tuesday, beginning March 9, 2010 at 6:30pm.
Hope to see you there!
Begin within,
Michael
“Children broken by the world become the adults most likely to change it,”
~Frank Warren, founder of Post Secret
Written on February 25th, 2010 by Michael Reberno shouts
Below is an announcement from the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. This is an opportunity for youth to talk about their needs when it comes to support from someone who’s been through similar experiences. If you apply for this, please let them know you found out from Youth Outreach Union!
Begin within,
Michael
“Children broken by the world become the adults most likely to change it,”
~Frank Warren, founder of Post Secret
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The Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is planning a focus group for youth who are between the ages of 14 and 17 and who are (or recently have) received services from the public mental health system. The purpose of the focus group is to get input from these youth about what they think would be an “ideal” mental health service delivery system. This input is sought as the Bureau is developing plans for extending the provision of peer support services to this group. This would entail one full day of discussion in late March or early April and will tentatively be held in Mechanicsburg, PA.
In addition, a follow-up web-based discussion will be scheduled to solicit input from persons in this age group who are unable to make the group meeting. Further information will be disseminated to the CASSP coordinators shortly. If you are interested in further information please contact Doris Arena (darena@state.pa.us) or Ann Litzelman (c-alitzelm@state.pa.us) .
Written on February 25th, 2010 by Michael Reberno shouts
Hey all,
We will be adding a section to the website dedicated to the Pa Youth Leadership Newsletter.
The newsletter is written by Brian Satterfield. Brian is a Youth Leader and Advocate serving on the advisory board for the Youth and Family Training Institute. The YFTI is responsible for implementing “Hi-Fidelity Wraparound” in Pennsylvania, and their advisory board is made up of equal parts youth, family members, and professionals.
Recently, the YFTI and Pennsylvania received a grant from the federal government to start a System of Care in Pennsylvania. YFTI is the agency implementing this grant as well. As a result of the grant, Pennsylvania has begun to explore options for Pennsylvania’s Youth Leadership opportunities. As a youth leader for YFTI, Brian compiles a newsletter to update youth on what’s going on in these areas.
The newsletter will be posted as they are released, titled by date so that you can stay in the know without a milion e-mails.
“Children broken by the world become the adults most likely to change it,”
~Frank Warren, founder of Post Secret
Back in May I covered The Ed and Labor Hearing on Seclusion and Restraint on my personal blog. This week, there is an update on that front- Chairman Miller, Representative McMorris Rodgers and Senator Dodd introduced Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247) and Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (S.2860). You can watch the press conference that was held on this here (WMV) or read the Press Release.
Many organizations and coalitions applaud this introduced legislation, Saying that it is a big step for the rights of students across the country. Justice For All Action Network released a statement (Which you can read at ASAN’s site) stating that they were pleased as it has been one of the key components of their agenda. And Families against Restraint and Seclusion certainly see this as a step forward.
However, in the meantime between now and when the bill passes into law, a lot of things could change, and a lot of things are terrifyingly staying the same. Michael E. Robinson* of Parents United For Special Education recently distributed information about a case of school abuse in Cobb County, Georgia involving a 13-year-old Autistic student. For that young Georgian, the fact that people in DC have introduced legislation doesn’t take back the abuse he’s suffered since the May Hearing. Robinson also comments that he believes “it’s a shell that will need to be amended with some strong and heavy additions” and calls for the president to speak on the issue in attempt to get it the attention it deserves.
There is some legitimate Criticism of the bill as it stands now. As blogger Astrid writes in her post, certain phrases are really subjective, such as “imminent danger.” This has been a common concern about laws surrounding this issue, especially in Florida where it has been brought up over and over again. Too often, aides interpret situations that are not ones of true imminent danger as such, resulting in an escalation. These false positives are often reported vaguely, and as a result the truth of the incident is left in a he-said-she-said battle.
Another concern is that because the “teeth” of the bill is left to the states, the effectiveness- or even swift implication- of the bill is impaired or even neutered out completely. One of the other issues mentioned in the debates about Florida’s regulations is that the lack of consequences make the regulations useless. The bill states at Sec6(a) that the states will have 2 years to come up with state level regulations that must include enforcement (Sec 6(a)(1)(B)), among other things. My question is what is to happen in the meantime? And while there are measures to prevent them from delaying the process past the 2 years, there are no suggestions as to the minimum enforcement standards.
Another issue that I am worried about is that Section 5(a)(4) will be used to prevent parents and youth from specifying their wishes concerning the school’s policy on the restraints the bill does allow. Sec.5(a)(4) states that Seclusion and restraint my not be written in as a planned intervention into an IEP or other plan. While this is intended to prevent schools from pressuring parents into consenting to Seclusion and/or restraint in a child’s IEP, I fear that some schools might use this to justify restricting the amount of say parents and youth have in mitigating issues with school policy.
Even with these concerns, though, I think that this bill represents a great step forward for all students. Hopefully it will result in fewer students being injured, tortured, or even killed in our schools.
Wright’s Law has not yet posted its analysis, but their post on the bill is pretty good and they expect the analysis post to happen in the next week. I’m interested to hear their list of pros and cons- and hopeful that they will be able to clear up some of my concerns. After all, I’m not a lawyer, just someone who wades through legalese out of fun and need!
I’m also interested in other opinions on the bill as it progresses through the House and Senate, and am curious as to how it will be strengthened- or weakened.
* Please contact me if you get this so that I can link you in and provide readers with more information.
NOTE: if you have links to further commentary about criticism of the bill, please let me know.
Written on November 26th, 2009 by Administratorone shout
Hey everyone,
As part of our efforts to provide youth with information about what’s going on in Pennsylvania when it comes to youth and getting services, we’re adding a blog section to our website.
Anyone can read the blog.
Youth Leaders who have registered at the Youth Outreach Union website are able to make posts about what new info, opportunities, etc.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS feed!
~Youth Outreach Union
