May
2019
Children's Mental Health Awareness Week
National CMHA Week is May 5th-11th
National CMHA Day is May 9th
The National Federation is excited to celebrate the 15th Annual Children's Mental Health Awareness Week along with our chapters and partners across the country this May. We encourage you to take advantage of the tools linked below to help you build awareness and celebrate in your community. Please also look for and share our daily #EveryDayInMay awareness posts on Facebook this month.

Children's Mental Health Matters!
Green Awareness Ribbon Campaign
46,100 Ribbons Sold in 28 States
Congratulations and many thanks to Virginia (1st) , Illinois (2nd) and
New York (3rd) for their leadership in the 2019 Green Ribbon Campaign.
10,100 Ribbons
5,800 Ribbons
2,900 Ribbons
Find CMHAW Events in Your State
Check the National CMHAW Map for events in your state and join in to help raise awareness and reduce prejudice and discrimination in your own community.
Suicide Prevention Twitter Chat
Join the American Association of Suicidology and American Psychological Association’s Twitter chat. These two SAMHSA Awareness Day national collaborating organizations are hosting a Twitter chat focused on youth suicide on
 Thursday, May 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. EDT using the hashtag #TalkYouthSuicide .
National CMHA Week Launch Event
Save the date for SAMHSA’s 2019 Awareness event, “Suicide Prevention: Strategies That Work.” Tune in Monday, May 6 at 3 p.m. EDT to watch it live.
Helping You Raise Awareness: CMHAW Tools and Resources
Visit our online store.
Final inventory and closeout sale items will not last long.
Packs of Stickers 40% Off
Angel Pins Only $6
Limited Stock Left
National Competencies Revision Project Update
Final Public Comments Due May 31
For the last year the Federation has been conducting a scan of state competencies nationwide. Many of you have participated in focus group calls, surveys and by submitting your state's requirements. We are completing the data collection phase and preparing to make final recommendations for updates to the competencies for CPSP certification. We invite you to review the materials so far and to share any final comments or additions.
Funding Opportunities
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program 
On March 6th The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy posted a Notice of Funding Opportunity for a new Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) initiative called RCORP-Implementation (HRSA-19-082). HRSA plans to award approximately 75 grants, of up to $1 million each, to enhance substance and opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery service delivery in rural communities.

Applications must be received by Monday, May 6, 2019.
Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model 
On February 8th, the CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) Innovation Center released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model. This child-centered local service delivery and state payment model aims to reduce expenditures and improve the quality of care for children covered by Medicaid and CHIP who have, or are at-risk for developing, significant health needs. 
 
CMS anticipates awarding up to eight cooperative agreements, of up to $16 million each for a seven-year period, to implement the model. The Notice of Funding Opportunity can be found here , or by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=312759 .

Applications must be received by 3:00 p.m. EST on June 10, 2019. 
Board Member Highlight
PAX Good Behavior Game Featured in NM News

Kudos to our Board Member, Dr. Dennis Embry, for this recent news feature on the impact the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) is having on the community of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Local leaders are crediting PAX GBT for contributing to a lowered crime rate. The PAX Good Behavior Game® is a powerful evidence-based practice, consisting of proven instructional and behavioral health strategies used daily by teachers and students in the classroom. This universal preventive approach not only improves classroom behavior and academics but also provides a lifetime of benefits for every child by improving self-regulation and co-regulation with peers. Since 1999,
PAX Good Behavior Game has been used in thousands of classrooms,
in 38 states, Canada, Ireland, Estonia, Sweden, and Australia.

Way to go, Dennis! You can learn more about PAX GBG here .
Chapter Highlight
NFFCMH Chapter SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (New Jersey) hosted over 300 parent leaders and professionals at their 2019 SPAN Leadership and Advocacy Conference.
Co-sponsored this year by Newark Public Schools, and with the generous support of Horizon NJ Health, the biannual “Speak Up! Take Action! Create Change!”  event nurtures meaningful parent leadership across New Jersey’s education, health, mental health, family support, human services, and child welfare systems. This gathering of current and emerging parent leaders creates change by creating strong parents, strong families, excellent schools, and stronger communities.

Congratulations SPAN!
Legislation and Advocacy
See our National and State Updates for April!
I t is a busy time for legislation both nationally and in the states.
We have  a lot of news about what has unfolded this session .
View the summaries of what has happened nationally and in the states below.
National Legislative Update Slideshow
State Legislative Update Slideshow

Submit your state's advocacy
and legislative updates to our
Legislative Liaison, Michelle Covington,
Webinars and Events
Extreme Self-Care: Caring for Yourself as Much as You Care for Your Child
Date: Monday, May 13, 2019 Time: 8:00am EDT

As a parent of a child with mental health concerns, you face great demands with your time, attention, finances, physical and emotional energy, patience, and presence. You need so much more than pedicures and caramel frappuccinos with extra caramel drizzle. You need extreme self-care.
Getting and Keeping the First Job
Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2019 Time: 8:30-10:30pm EDT

Competitive employment is the cornerstone of a successful transition to adult living for youth with disabilities. In this workshop, co-presented by Transition Specialists from PACER and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS), youth and parents will learn about preparing for and keeping a job.
Evaluation & Response to Intervention
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2019 Time: 3:00-4:00pm EDT

Evaluation and determining eligibility are key elements in special education. This workshop provides an understanding of the Response to Intervention process and other forms of evaluation. Participants will learn about the process that determines the need for special education and related services.
Opiate Addiction and the Impact on Families
Date: Friday, May 3, 2019 Time: 2:00-3:30pm EDT

This webinar will focus on strategies for working with families who are struggling with the impacts of opiate addiction. 
Finding Help Early: Community Education Strategies for Clinical High Risk and Early Psychosis
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2019 Time: 1:00-2:30pm EDT

This webinar will share research findings, practical tips, resources and lessons learned on early psychosis outreach and education.
Effective Father Engagement Strategies and Lessons Learned from Alameda County Systems Change Approaches
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2019 Time: 3:00-4:30pm EDT

Presenters will highlight father-centered programming and share practical tips for providers to implement successful father engagement strategies. 
Approaches to Evaluating Systems of Care
Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2019 Time: 2:30-4:00pm EDT

Presenters will highlight the evaluations in two states, including methods, measures, instruments, reporting strategies, and how results have been used for quality improvement purposes. 
Human Resources and Workforce Development Strategies to Enhance and Expand Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Systems of Care
Date: Thursday, May 16, 2019 Time: 1:30-3:00pm EDT

This webinar will provide an opportunity to learn about aligning organizational culture with system of care values and principles.  
Understanding and Appreciating the Challenges and Supports Needed for Grand-families and Kinship Families in Early Childhood
Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 Time: 2:30-4:00pm EDT

Join this webinar to discuss the unique challenges, and supports needed, to help grand-families and kinship families who are raising children with mental disorders. 
Adolescent Intersections: Externalizing Disorders, Developmental Trauma, and Substance Use
Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Time: 1:00-2:30pm EDT

Overlapping symptoms and presentations will be examined in this webinar.
Resources and Opportunities
From NIMH
This brochure from the National Institute of Mental Health is now available in English and Spanish. Families and caregivers can use this resource to identify symptoms, treatment options, and resources to help their children. Download it below.
From the Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL)
New Study: The Impact of Family Peer Support for Justice Involved Families
A lot of research has been done on the impact of family peer support for families whose children are juvenile justice involved. We surveyed families who fit this category and they reported significant improvements in their ability to access and navigate services.

Key findings include:
 
  • 70% of parents reported an increase in their ability to persist and keep going until they found what they needed
  • 62% said their ability to find resources, even when it seemed nothing was out there, had increased
  • Twice as many African American youth (25%) had been expelled than Caucasian youth (13%). In addition, African American youth were most likely to be sent home from school with instructions to get an evaluation of their "dangerousness" before they could return.
  • The rate of arrest by a school resource office for African American students (29%) was nearly double the overall rate.
From PsychHub
Educational Videos
Providing evidence-based education on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention for individuals and providers. Explore educational videos on mental health and substance use disorders, symptoms, and evidence-based practices. Check out NFFCMH's PsychHub channel here .
From Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a unique, free app developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life. Just as we eat well and stay fit to keep our body healthy, mindfulness meditation is about mental health and looking after the mind. They offer a range of programs for both children and adults, designed to assist with dealing with the pressure, stress and challenges of daily life. Learn more here .