CHDI NEWSLETTER
March 2024
In this month's newsletter, we share seven steps Connecticut can take this year to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, strategies for engaging families in measurement-based care, and recommendations for sustainably funding crisis services. We also celebrate CHDI being named one of the "Best Places to Work in Connecticut" by the Hartford Business Journal (that's our team pictured above at the recent Wonka-themed awards ceremony).
You'll also find an opportunity for schools to participate in a peer support pilot program, strong outcomes for the state's outpatient clinics for children, recent media coverage, staff news, and more. Plus, we're hiring!
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Blog: 7 Steps Connecticut Can Take This Year to Strengthen the Children's Behavioral Health Workforce |
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With Connecticut's legislative session in full swing, the clock is ticking for the state to take action on the behavioral health workforce shortage in 2024.
In the latest post in our special blog series on the state's behavioral health workforce shortage, Chief Program Officer Jason Lang identifies seven steps Connecticut can still take this year to ease the current crisis and put us on a path to becoming a state where every child and family can access behavioral health services, when and where they need them. |
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Issue Brief: Strategies for Engaging Youth, Families, & Clinicians in Measurement-Based Care
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Measurement-based care (MBC) is the process of routinely administering and discussing results of assessment measures with youth and their caregivers to guide treatment and achieve youth and family goals.
In our latest Issue Brief, "Moving Measures to Conversations: Engaging Youth, Families, and Clinicians in Measurement-Based Care," authors Alyssa Korell, Ph.D., and Jason Lang, Ph.D. share strategies for engaging youth and families in measurement-based care in ways that are feasible and helpful for both clinicians and families.
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Policy Brief: How Connecticut Can Sustainably Fund Crisis Services |
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Many of Connecticut's community-based behavioral health crisis services for children, youth, and families - such as the 988 Lifeline/211, Mobile Crisis Intervention Services, and Urgent Crisis Centers - are supported by short-term funds that are set to expire soon.
In our latest Policy Brief, CHDI President & CEO Jeff Vanderploeg, Ph.D. and Wellmore Behavioral Health CEO Gary Steck, LMFT explain how Connecticut can sustainably support these critical services through small surcharges on wireless plans, similar to how 911 emergency services are funded.
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Connecticut Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics for Children Saw Strong Outcomes, Growing Need in FY2023 |
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CHDI serves as the Quality Improvement Center for 22 community-based Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics for Children (OPCCs) in Connecticut, providing clinical training, technical assistance and consultation on data collection, analysis, and reporting for OPCC partners.
Our recently published OPCC Annual Report for fiscal year 2023 found that despite challenges - including the behavioral health workforce shortage and increased demand for services - OPCCs demonstrated strong results for the children they served.
In FY23, OPCC providers served 27,497 children, an 11% increase over pre-pandemic numbers. The average number of sessions per treatment episode also increased, suggesting increased engagement in treatment - but also a heavier workload on an already-strained workforce. Over half of children experienced significant symptom improvement, with children receiving evidence-based treatments seeing greater improvement than treatment as usual. See more highlights in the report infographic:
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Recommendations for the future include further improving race and activity data collection, promoting the integration of brief evidence-based practices to improve access to treatment, and increasing support for workforce retention and recruitment. |
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Now Recruiting Connecticut Middle & High Schools to Pilot New Peer Support Program |
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As we shared in a recent Issue Brief, students who participate in peer support programs report increased mental health knowledge and well-being. These programs also benefit the entire school community by improving overall climate.
CHDI is seeking 4 middle or high schools in Connecticut to pilot a new Peer Support Program beginning in May 2024. Schools will also complete a School Mental Health Needs Assessment (SHAPE) and receive free training, ongoing support from CHDI, and financial incentives upon completion.
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A New Look for Connecting to Care Website |
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The newly redesigned Connecting to Care website makes it easier to find information to help you better understand, navigate, and find children’s behavioral health services in Connecticut - and get involved in our work to improve the state's behavioral health system for children and families. |
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Connecting to Care is a partnership led by the State of Connecticut to improve children’s behavioral health by building an accessible and coordinated system of care for children and their families. Lead partners include Carelon Behavioral Health, CHDI, FAVOR, Inc., The Consultation Center at Yale, and the CT Department of Children and Families. |
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CHDI Honored as a 2024 "Best Place to Work" in Connecticut |
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CHDI is celebrating our third straight year being named one of the state's "Best Places to Work" by the Hartford Business Journal. The award honors organizations that rank highest in employee satisfaction as determined by a survey administered by the Workforce Research Group. The winners were honored at a ceremony on March 7th and profiled in a special issue of the HBJ.
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“It’s the people at CHDI who make this a great place to work. We have an incredible team of people who care about each other and the important work we do on behalf of children and families.”
- Jeff Vanderploeg, President & CEO
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Join our team! Scroll down to see current job openings. |
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More March News Highlights |
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CHDI staff have been busy traveling around Connecticut and beyond to share research, best practices, and resources to improve children's behavioral health systems and practices. We even found a little time for fun! Here are just a few places we've been recently: |
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Jeana Bracey, Ph.D participated in UConn Collaboratory on School & Child Health's (CSCH) spring affiliate networking event on March 5th. Dr. Bracey serves on the CSCH steering committee.
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CHDI is growing again! Are you passionate about improving children's behavioral health systems, policies, and practices? Join one of the "Best Places to Work in Connecticut." We currently have two open positions:
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Project Coordinator, Systems Development & Integration: Supporting efforts to strengthen implementation of the state’s Behavioral Health Plan for Children and training opportunities for the children’s behavioral health workforce.
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Data Analyst: Work on projects related to performance improvement and dissemination of evidence-based practices in children’s behavioral health.
All roles offer competitive salaries with excellent benefits (see job descriptions for details!) and a hybrid work schedule.
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Photo credit for CHDI staff image in header: Brian Ambrose Photography courtesy of Hartford Business Journal |
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The Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing effective and integrated system, practice, and policy solutions that result in equitable and optimal behavioral health and well-being for children, youth, and families in Connecticut and beyond.
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Child Health and Development Institute
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Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.
The CHDI logo is a registered trademark.
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