There’s always a bit of risk in referring to another blog. Not only does one not know whether the content is accurate (I can say, “Fact check.”), but one can’t even be sure that the blog will be active enough to merit return visits. However, I can’t resist pointing at this new source: The Good, Bad, and Ugly & My special ed classroom, by Katherine McNeil.
A big part of the impetus for referring to Ms. McNeil (who apparently has a doctorate) is that the initial post to the blog has a sense of humor. Check it yourself.
Anybody know these folks? Into what category should I put this post? Acting out? Behavior management?
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While I was away I missed a humane and thoughtful reflection on expulsion by Mrs. Ris.
An article in Journal of the National Medical Association examined data about the characteristics of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder among African-American and Caucasion children. The abstract does not report the outcomes of the study, so one will need to go to the source to get the results.
Deficits in diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care in African-american children and adolescents with ADHD.
J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Feb;98(2):233-8
Authors: Hervey-Jumper H, Douyon K, Franco KN
Despite the evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not just a diagnosis of whites, it often goes undiagnosed and is underresearched in the African-American population. There are higher rates of delinquency, incarceration, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases associated with inadequate or delayed treatment of ADHD. Afrcan Americans generally respond well to treatments, but access to evaluation, medication and psychotherapy is limited or absent for many, The purpose of this research is to compare descriptive characteristics of African-American children with ADHD to age-matched Caucasian children with the same diagnosis. Age at diagnosis, treatment offered, perception of outcome, adherence, comorbid symptoms and frequency of follow-up were collected retrospectively from charts of children treated in the sections of child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatric neurology.
PMID: 16708509 [PubMed - in process]
Link to the PubMed entry.
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The Office of Mental Health in New York (US) has launched a project it calls the largest investment in new children’s mental health services in the state’s history. Here’s the lead from the news release:.
OMH CELEBRATES NEW ERA OF CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN NEW YORK STATE
Sesame Workshop Joins OMH For Celebration and Launch of Tile Project
ALBANY, NY — (05/17/2006; 1200)(EIS) — With Sesame Street’s walkaround Elmo greeting guests as they arrived, Sharon E. Carpinello, RN, PhD, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health, (OMH) was joined today (Wed. May 17) at the Executive Mansion by representatives of Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, as well as families, State and local officials, care providers and other stakeholders to celebrate children’s mental health and wellbeing in New York State.
Link to the news release.
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As faithful readers of EBD Blog (all three of you, and you know who you are!) know, I think that only some children who need help for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders are getting help, whether from schools or other agencies. A US national group of non-governmental organizations is sponsoring activities to promote awareness of children’s mental health needs, an effort that deserves recognition and support. We still are, to paraphrase Jim Kauffman, “count the missing millions” of children and youths whose problems are ignored, overlooked, or rationalized away.
The National Mental Health Association (NMHA), National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (FFCMH) have formed a joint partnership to celebrate National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, as part of a growing need to promote children’s mental health. In honor of this historic day, the group will host a luncheon briefing Monday, May 8, in Washington, DC where the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will release key findings from its 2005 national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families, or Systems of Care.
Link to the group’s press release.
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A complex set of factors—including insurance billing policies, stigma, and non-recognition of problems—is keeping thousands of Utah children and youths from receiving mental health services, according to Dennis Romboy and Lucinda Dillon Kinkead of the Deseret Morning News (UT; US). In an extended feature story, Mr. Romboy and Ms. Kinkead provide an insightful description of problems in securing therapy for individuals with bi-polar or other disorders.
As is popular in contemporary journalism, Mr. Romboy and Ms. Kinkead sprinkle in several case studies to illustrate the problems. They lead with an example of a young woman who is now in college but has had bi-polar disorder for many years.
Importantly, one of the cases they discuss is the daughter of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, someone who has clout but has had to work hard to secure services.
Although their story includes examples of individual cases, Mr. Romboy and Ms. Kinkead also interviewed experts on mental health, including a person speaking for insurance providers. Another of their experts in Sherri Wittwer, executive director of the Utah chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; Wittwer helped explain the difficulty many parents encounter.
Parents know exactly what to do if their child gets hurt on a skateboard: Go to the emergency room. If their child has a fever, they make an appointment with the family doctor. But what does a parent do when their child’s brain doesn’t seem to be working right?
“People don’t know where to turn for mental health services,” said Wittwer.
It’s not likely they have a family psychologist or psychiatrist. Even if they did, it might take weeks to get in. Preauthorization might be needed. And there’s no guarantee their insurance carrier would pay for treatment until the child became well.
Link to Mr. Romboy’s and Ms. Kinkead’s story. It’s very good to have this sort of coverage of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
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