FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2002
Alaska awarded planning grant for child mental health
US Dept. of Health & Human Services promoting innovative state approaches to health care & social services
The DHSS Section of Maternal, Child & Family Health was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services [HHS] for planning appropriate mental health services for Alaska’s children zero to six years of age. “Children who experience healthy social and emotional development in their first six years have a solid foundation for leading productive and successful lives,” DHSS Commission Jay Livey said. “Alaska has an abundance of anecdotal reports about social and emotional problems of children and the lack of appropriate mental health services for them. We need a disciplined approach to document the need and plan the right services.”
“Alaska does not have enough mental health practitioners for children in this age group, remoteness limits access to mental health services for many children, and mental health workers today are pressed just to meet the needs of adults,” Karen Pearson, Alaska Director of Public Health said. “This project will bring agencies and people together to plan strategies to address the needs of our children. National data suggests one in 10 children have a mental health impairment that causes significant problems – Alaska needs definitive data about our children.”
US Health & Human Services Secretary Thompson awarded $2.5 million in grants to support state and local efforts to implement and develop new and creative approaches to providing health care and social services. “These grants reward states for thinking outside the box and finding new ways to help their residents get the health care and other services that they need,” Thompson said. HHS awarded grants competitively to states that proposed to design and implement demonstrations using new models for delivering health care, long-term care, and/or human services to low-income adults, families and children.
Over the past year an interagency committee in Alaska outlined the gaps and barriers that hinder access to appropriate mental health services. “One barrier is a general lack of awareness that very young children can have mental health concerns,” Pam Muth, Health Program Manager for the Div. of Public Health said. One step in the planning process is an information program to educate the public and policy makers about the importance of helping families and caregivers provide the right environment for social and emotional health for young children.
A second important element is forming a public and private partnership that will develop a needs assessment, strategies based on findings, and an action plan. “The aim of this project is to broaden responsibility beyond the governmental sector for public awareness, funding and problem solving,” Muth said. “Because Alaska’s barriers and gaps in services for young children are sizeable, these strategies will be a model for other states with remote and frontier communities.”
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For more information, please contact
Sherry Hill, Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Communications
(907) 465-1611Or
Ross Soboleff
Public Information Officer III
(907) 465-1611
or
Kathy Allely,
Children’s Behavioral Health Coordinator
907-269-5231
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