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.

This message comes from Karen Mallah, the director of the Pennsylvania System of Care (SOC) Initiative.

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Attention Youth of Pennsylvania:

Now is your chance to get your voice heard on the Statewide level.  The PA System of Care Partnership now has two openings for Youth on the State Leadership Team, which will allow you to have an equal voice with the leaders of Pennsylvania’s child-serving systems.  Details about this exciting opportunity are enclosed in the attachment.  We need your voice!!!

For more information about this position, or if you have any questions, please contact Brian Satterfield, who was formerly on the State Leadership Team and is now one of our Partnership’s two Youth Involvement Specialists. His contact information is below.

Brian Satterfield

Pennsylvania Partnership

Youth Involvement Specialist

satterfieldb@upmc.edu

(484)-680-0068  (Call or Text)

As stated in the attached document, please send your applications to me.

Thanks and take care,

Karen Mallah, PhD, Director

PA System of Care Partnership

120 East Azalea Drive

Logan Building, Room 102

Harrisburg, PA 17110-3594

(717) 772-7615 office

(717) 772-7699 fax

mallahk@upmc.edu

“For each child that’s born, a morning star rises and sings to the universe who we are.”

— Sweet Honey in the Rock

I’ve scheduled the next youth chat for tomorrow at 6:00pm.

Here’s the link for the meeting:

http://www.tokbox.com/Michael9374/YOU-Chat-91410

The basic agenda will be a general discussion about Youth Outreach Union trainings, and where we should have them.  The trainings are free to youth, we just need to find out where there are groups of youth who want help getting organized.

After the general discussion, there will be a governing board discussion about the policy for youth 14-17 who wish to participate in the meetings at State College.

Write with questions.

Michael

michaelreber@youthoutreachunion.com

“I am thrilled to report that we have hired both Crystal Davis and Brian Satterfield, both at full time as Youth Involvement Specialists who will spend 20% of their time focusing on cultural and linguistic competence. Both of them have accepted the position and seem to be glad that they will be working together. These hires have been approved by the State Leadership Team and our SAMHSA project officer. Crystal and Brian will start their positions on 9/27/10.”

If you haven’t heard, last year, the OMHSAS Children’s Bureau at DPW (OMHSAS-Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, DPW-Department of Public Welfare) and UPMC’s Youth and Family Training Institute (UPMC-University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) were awarded a grant that would allow them to support 15 counties over three years in implementing “High Fidelity Wraparound” in their communities.

The Youth Outreach Union was a part of the development of both the Youth and Family Training Institute AND the PA System of Care grant application.  One of the key points that set Pennsylvania aside is that we insisted there be a full-time youth position that would support youth voice and choice in those counties.  On the plus side, it looks like we got TWO!!!

For more information on the Children’s Bureau, OMHSAS,  DPW or the Pa. System of Care grant, visit www.parecovery.org. 

Remember, ALL of the organizations involved in this project have young adults as advisors.  If you want to get involved in changing the system, join the Youth Outreach Union and stay up to date on the opportunities for youth in Pennsylvania!

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

Who: Youth and young adults with disabilities (ages 13-28), family members, professionals, and allies

When: July 29-31, 2010

Where: North Raleigh Hilton, 3415 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC

Topics covered: At the Institute we will introduce the new curriculum we have created. It is about how youth with disabilities can build their own support systems. We define support systems as people who help you reach your own goals.  This could include parents, friends, teachers, allies – anyone you choose. Our institute is a new hands-on training opportunity. To find out more go to click here.

Registration: Until June 30th it is only $50 for youth and $75 for adults to attend. That includes all meals and a not-to-be-missed show Friday night by performers from Sins Invalid!

To register online go to http://www.nyln.org/upcoming-conference/registration.
Scholarships are available for youth to attend.

Organizations can host an informational table at our resource fair during the Institute for only $50.

BONUS! Register three people and get one person free!

NYLN is a youth-driven, youth-led, national non-profit organization. NYLN promotes youth leadership, education, and advocacy.  Our goal is to make sure that young people with disabilities know how to set and reach their own goals.

For more information, visit www.nyln.org or call Betsy Valnes, NYLN Executive Director, at 1-866-480-6565, or e-mail her at betsy@nyln.org.

Visit www.toxbox.com/Michael9374/Website-Upgrade-Planning-Meeting for details.

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

Thursday, April 22, 2010

It is that time of year again!  Spring is in the air, and the National Youth Leadership Network is preparing for our next webcast.

This webcast will be titled “Violence and Hate Crimes Against People with Disabilities.”  It will be on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7 PM EST.  There will be a panel of speakers discussing violence and and how youth with disabilities often face this issue.

Join us! To register, please visit NYLN.org and click the link at the bottom.

Date: Thursday, April 22 2010

Time: 7:00 pm EST, 6:00 pm CST, 5:00 pm MST, 4:00 PST, 2:00 pm Hawaii

Speakers:
Savannah Logsdon-Breakstone, Director of Advocacy with the Autism Women’s Network
Christine Wilk, Organizer with Feminist Response in Disability Activism (FRIDA)
Nathan Say, long-time anti-violence disability activist and poet

This webcast is offered for free through the National Youth Leadership Network. NYLN is a youth-driven, youth-led organization.  We teach young people how to advocate.  Our goal is to make sure that young people with disabilities know how to set and reach their own goals.
For more information, visit the National Youth Leadership Network at www.nyln.org.  You can also contact Betsy Valnes, NYLN Executive Director, at 1-866-480-6565 or betsy@nyln.org.

The following Link is currently correct for this event: Spring Webcast

Please Note that there is captioning available through the Web for this event!

The two main questions are in BOLD below and responses should be submitted by April 12, 2010.  If you want to leave your response as a comment to the blog, we’ll submit them in one large bundle on the 12th.

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OMHSAS is gathering input for the “Call for Change,” a strategic plan for quality, effective behavioral health services for children and their families.  This effort is similar to the successful Call for Change that earlier helped transform the adult system.

The Call for Change will build on the research literature, on an analysis of the current system, input from systems partners, and on past efforts such as the Mercer review of family based and evidence based practice, the OMHSAS/OCYF Residential work group, and the OMHSAS Children’s Retreat.

The plan will also incorporate the implications of the SAMHSA System of Care Grant, which will develop systems of care in 15 counties to serve youth age 8-18 that have serious behavioral health needs and are involved in child welfare or juvenile justice, especially those that are in or at risk for residential placement.

We are seeking the input of organizations and individuals that have insight into strengths and weaknesses of the children’s behavioral health system.  One means of gathering input is to ask for a written response to the following two questions:

1.       What is your overall impression of the publicly funded system of children’s behavioral health services in Pennsylvania?

2.       What are the areas for improvement?

Would you please ask youth and young adults to provide us with input on these two questions?  If you are able to provide input by April 12^th, we will use that input to inform the draft that will be prepared for public review starting at the May 5^th OMHSAS Advisory Committee meeting.  That Draft will be sent to you, and there will be more opportunity for you to provide additional input.

Please let me know if you have any questions; I look forward to receiving your response.

Stan Mrozowski

smrozowski@state.pa.us