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FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH:
Accept, Advocate, Act
January 5, 2022 | Volume 1, Issue 3
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Note from the Executive Director
Hello, Families, Family Peer Specialists, and Family-Run Organization Leaders!
Have you noticed “Family Mental Health: Accept, Advocate, Act” is how we start our newsletter every month? That's because last year, we took an important step to advance social justice for families: launching the first national Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week.
As an organization focused on families with children who experience mental health and/or substance use challenges across the lifespan, we believe acceptance more directly combats discrimination, prejudice, and subconscious bias. Awareness isn’t enough – but Acceptance demands we advocate and act to change attitudes, behaviors, and systems. Acceptance is social justice.
That’s why our 2023 campaign theme for this year is “Accept. Advocate. Act.” We want our children across the lifespan accepted – and that means systemic change in how children’s mental health is viewed.
This year, Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week returns for the second year May 7th – 13th, 2023. Join us to Accept, Advocate, and Act for children’s mental health.
With hope,
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Lynda Gargan, PhD.
Executive Director, National Federation of Families
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Children's Mental Health Acceptance | | |
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2023 Acceptance Campaign Tools!
The "Accept. Advocate. Act." campaign builds on the Federation’s successful launch in 2022 of the first Children’s Mental Health ACCEPTANCE Week (CMHAW). Visit our updated page where you'll find the tools you need to prepare for this year's campaign, with new resources to come. Each month, this newsletter will feature a new tool to help make your event successful.
This Month: Are you interested in getting an Awareness Day proclamation from a governor, mayor, or local official? Visit our Proclamation Toolkit for a guide that takes you every step of the way, plus the updated 2023 Proclamation Sample.
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National Federation of Families News & Highlights | | |
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NFF's 2022 Annual Conference won Whova's Most Proficient Event Competition!
We heard from attendees, speakers, and exhibitors that our Annual Conference in November 2022 was meaningful and successful. We used the event platform Whova to help make it a success! In December, Whova presented NFF with an award for the Most Proficient Event for fully utilizing the platform's features to highly engage our audience.
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National Federation of Families Named STARR Coalitions Advocacy Organization of the Year
The STARR Coalition, which works to advance the lived experience perspective within mental health clinical research, recently honored the National Federation of Families for its dedication to supporting the entire family unit, mental health research, and for making "great strides" in "Children's Mental Health Acceptance." The Federation was one of four award recipients at the Coalition's Annual Starr Awards Ceremony. We are honored to have been recognized by the STARR Coalition and we also thank our affiliates, families, parents, caregivers, Family Peer Specialists, and communities supporting children across the lifespan.
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NFF Joins National PLACE's Board of Directors
National PLACE, a coalition of non-profit family driven organizations, named Dr. Lynda Gargan to its Board of Directors—all advocates with extensive experience in educating and supporting the participation of stakeholders, especially parent organizations. National PLACE is committed to helping family-led organizations and individual families acquire the knowledge and skills needed to effectively “sit at the table” and influence the policies and decisions impacting children, youth, and family.
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In November, you let us know what stuck with you the most from the conference. We're excited that our message that it is time for mental health ACCEPTANCE resonated with you! Lived experience expertise is a crucial ingredient to the innovative practices shared at the conference. The diversity at our conference reflects the diversity of the workforce doing this great work! | |
| QUESTION: How are you going to spread the word about family mental health ACCEPTANCE? | | | |
National Family Support Technical Assistance Center News & Highlights | | | |
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The National Family Support Technical Assistance Center (NFSTAC) invites you to submit requests for technical assistance. NFSTAC is driven by the needs of families and the workforce that supports families. NFSTAC works for you.
NFSTAC provides education, training, and family support resources tailored specifically to families, the family peer workforce, communities, healthcare systems, clinicians, and educators. Our network of partners and subject matter experts will work with you to help address your needs. Our technical assistance is always free.
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Office Hour: Coaching & Training the Family Peer Workforce
January 10th, 3:00 p.m. ET
Our January Office Hour will feature strategies to improve the quality of support your family-run organization provides by offering free and low-cost comprehensive training to your Family Peer Specialists, and by setting up a coaching system to ensure they implement what they learn. Family Peer supervision goes beyond checking boxes on a form and making sure all the paperwork is turned in.
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Webinar: Reframing Language in Behavioral Health Care: New Tools You Can Use
January 18th, 2:00 p.m. ET
Language is a powerful tool that shapes how we see the world and other people. The words we use matter, as they have the potential to be both empowering and harmful. During this webinar, presenters will introduce four new language tools that outline outdated language and language for mental health and substance us, and why these changes matter.
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Celebrating Our Affiliates | | |
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Las Vegas, NV
Nevada P.E.P. has spent the past 25 years committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering families. They are truly committed to lifting up the voices of each family member with lived experience through a variety of programs, including Family Peer Support, Youth M.O.V.E., Families Solutions for Hope and Resiliency Exchange, and more!
In addition to all of the work Nevada P.E.P. does in their state helping families focus on their strengths to find resilience, they offer a wealth of resources that anyone can access that include recorded trainings, a directory of state and national organizations to support families, and school resources to name a few.
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Interested in being a
Featured Affiliate?
In February, we'd love to feature an affiliate that is working to support mental health in aging populations. Reach out to dasby@ffcmh.org if your organization has a program, event, or great story to share!
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Legislative & Advocacy News | | | |
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Be an Advocate for 2023
Now is the time to commit to getting and staying informed on legislation that affects families and we are here to help you keep that resolution.
NFF’s Legislation and Policy News for Family Advocates is the place to get caught up and keep up on what family advocates need to know. You’ll find three sections to help you on your journey. On the website just click on the section and it will expand.
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1. News to Know
Here you will find the latest news and releases on mental health and resources.
2. Proposed Legislation and Policies
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Proposed Legislation and Polices: You will find the bills we are following with the Bill name, Senate/House number and summary information. It also has the sponsor of the bills to make it easy for you to reach out. They are listed in order of date filed.
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From the Committees: Important committee hearings and information are listed.
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From the White House: Here you will find the latest fact sheets/statements from the White House.
3. Being Implemented Now
- Legislation in Action
- Policies Being Implemented
- Proposed Funding and Program Extensions
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The NIH ADVANCE (Advancing Prevention Research for Health Equity) initiative is seeking input about interventions or strategies to prevent mental health problems and promote mental wellness in populations that experience health disparities (racial and ethnic minority groups, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, underserved rural populations, and sexual and gender minorities). | |
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National Mentoring Month Resources | | | |
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January is National Mentoring Month! In family-run organizations, we know that mentoring is important to build sustainability and success. That's why we started our Office Hour series on mentoring and leadership skills!
At NFSTAC, we are here to help emerging Executive Directors of family-run organizations connect with a mentor if they don't already have one. Make sure to fill out the TA request if you'd like our help.
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Celebrate These Days in January!
January 7th
I am a Mentor Day
January 17th
International Mentoring Day
January 21st
Thank Your Mentor Day
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Resource:
The Kennedy Forum's Ensuring Coverage of Behavioral Health Emergency Services
The rollout of the new crisis line 988 has been different in each state since its launch in July. The Kennedy Forum has released a new report on how states can work toward ensuring that public and private insurance covers new crisis services related to this rollout, citing the relevant laws, providing a case study, and outlining suggested actions.
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Resource:
Mental Health America's Creating a Culture of Support & Well-Being
During this National Mentoring Month, we encourage you to think about how your leadership can be an example of putting community-care and wellness first, in your personal and professional life. This toolkit from Mental Health America gives tips on how to create a supportive workplace culture, how to talk to employees about mental health, how to develop an employee-driven mental health strategy with policy examples, and more!
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