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April 21, 2023

The Ally: What You Think Matters!
 

What you think matters!

This week we urge you to respond to these surveys and share them with others:

We also share our initial public comments on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) draft Strategic Plan. Please let us know your feedback about our comments. We also hope you will submit your own comments. The public comment period closes on April 27.

Last but certainly not least, we share information on suspensions and expulsions this week in response to your calls and questions. Let us know how we can support you and any other questions you have.

We are all in this together to make things better for our children.

Joy Hogge signature

NEWS
 
Earlier this month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that the agency's draft Strategic Plan is now open for public comment. Most of Mississippi's federal money for mental health and substance use services comes from SAMHSA.
 
Have you ever wished you could change Mississippi's mental health or education systems? Do you have ideas to make either or both systems work better? Do you have opinions about the most helpful ways to spend money in the mental health or education systems? NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
 
Our calls about suspensions and expulsions have recently increased. We often see that as the school year gets closer to ending. We refer you back to this blog entry from June 2022 to answer commonly asked questions about suspensions and expulsions this time of year.

EVENTS
 
The Ever Reaching Community Outreach (ERCO) is hosting Love Out Loud at Yogi on the Lake. The FREE event will take place on April 22, 2023, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ERCO extends an invitation to stay for lunch. It will be provided at no charge.
 
A virtual status conference regarding the first monitoring report in the United States vs. Mississippi mental health lawsuit is scheduled for April 26, 2023, at 10 AM. Please note that the Zoom link for the conference will be published closer to the date of the event.
 
This group focuses on understanding current policy issues and also opportunities for leadership training graduates to serve on decision-making committees. 
 
As part of their Lunch & Learn webinar series, the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) is hosting "Disability Cultural Competence in Health Care." 
 
There is growing recognition that unaddressed Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can greatly impact young people's development and their future well-being.
 
Strong evidence suggests that investing in children's social needs leads to long-term improvements in health, economic stability and resilience.
 
Mississippi Families for Kids is proud to invite you to the upcoming virtual Black Family Symposium. This symposium is a chance for our community to come together to discuss issues affecting the Black community, make changes collectively, and prepare for the fall Black Family Summit.
 
Join Art Cernosia, Esq. as he reviews the most important legal cases in special education and early intervention in the recent past. In addition to reviewing the cases, he will reflect upon what they may mean for the field and encourage your questions throughout.
 
This hour is open for any family member to drop in for all or some of the time to share any concerns or get feedback from others about handling different situations. We ask anyone who stops by to respect the confidentiality of the group and not share anything discussed in the group outside of the group.
 
The National Center for Training and Technical Assistance on Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC) is pleased to announce a no-cost System of Care Virtual Summit (SOC Summit) on May 9-11, 2023. The SOC Summit is an opportunity for all children's mental health partners to reunite, renew,...

RESOURCES
 
New efforts are underway on Capitol Hill to address inconsistencies in guardianship across the nation and promote alternatives for people with disabilities who need assistance managing their affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rights of Children in Homeless Situations
 
Applications are live for Camp Dream Street:  Staff Opening Day: May 27, Camper Opening Day: May 29, Closing Day: June 2.
 
Unwinding the continuous enrollment condition will be one of the most complex challenges faced by state Medicaid agencies since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act a decade ago. (View the PDF)