News from the Field Related to Wraparound
National Center for Children in Poverty Policy Report
May 23, 2017
A new policy report, Strong at the Broken Places: The Resiliency of Low-Income Parents from The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, looks at traits of resiliency of low-income parents to identify ways to promote resiliency in other parents.
Search for mental health care for children is often fruitless
May 15, 2017
A recent Boston Globe article highlights the results of a 2015 Harvard study published this month in International Journal of Health Services. Researchers posing as a parent of depressed 12 year old called 913 doctors listed as network providers by Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations in Boston, Chapel Hill, N.C., Houston, Minneapolis, and Seattle. On average, they were able to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician only 40 percent of the time. Appointments with psychiatrists were only scheduled 17 percent of the time.
New SAMHSA Toolbox Promotes Mental Health and School Readiness in Young Children
May 9, 2017
SAMHSA has introduced The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Toolbox as a resource to support children’s healthy development, from infancy through the transition to school. The toolkit includes interactive planning tools along with videos, and other resources to support efforts in states, tribes and local communities in using the IECMHC.
Research: Parenting-based therapies best for children with disruptive behaviors
May 3, 2017
A new study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology found that involving parents in the treatment of children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) has the best results. Researchers compared more than 20 other therapeutic approaches used in the treatment of DBDs.
The Impact of Incarceration on Dependent Children
May 1, 2017
A recent article in the National Institute of Justice Journal looks at research on the effects of parental incarceration on the well-being of their dependent children. The author, Eric Martin, a social science analyst in NIJ’s Office of Research and Evaluation, outlines the scope of the issue, potential risks for children as well as policy recommendations.
Research Shows Benefit of Pediatric-Based Brief Behavioral Treatment
April 27, 2017
Results of a randomized clinical trial published this month in JAMA Psychiatry found that 56.8% of youths in pediatric-based behavioral treatment were clinically improved compared with 28.2% of youths provided with assisted referral. Improvement was greater for Hispanic youths, with 76.5% of those in behavioral treatment improving compared with 7.1% of referred youths.
Research on Impact of Pre-Kindergarten
April 25, 2017
The Brookings Institution recently published a report on the current research on the impact of pre-kindergarten and found “uniformly positive evidence of impact on kindergarten readiness”. According to the report, 42 states plus the District of Columbia now have early education programs serving 30 percent of the nation’s 4-year-olds and 5 percent of 3-year-olds. The report identifies the need for further research into the best ways to implement pre-kindergarten programs.
Early Intervention Can Help Combat Depression in Children
April 19, 2017
A recent article from a New Jersey paper highlights ways local pediatricians are working to identify and treat depression and other mental health issues early with screening tools and collaborative care approaches. One pilot program will bring a licensed social worker and psychiatrist into the pediatric primary care office, and in another program a psychologist and a “patient navigator” will work with parents when children are diagnosed as needing treatment for a mental health issue.
Research on Benefits of Social Emotional Learning in Elementary School
April 17, 2017
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published a research brief on the need to support social emotional learning (SEL) to improve behavioral and academic outcomes for students. The brief includes analysis of 20 years of research on SEL programs in K-12 schools. Overall, students who were provided SEL programs performed 11 percent higher in academic achievement and behavior measures, than those who did not have SEL programs. The brief also outlines recommendations for implementing SEL programs, including providing training and coaching for educators, supporting family and community partnerships and as well as policy support at the local, state and national levels.
Resource: NCTSN Fact Sheet on Complex Trauma in Urban African-American Children, Youth, and Families
April 14, 2017
A new 4-page fact sheet from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network discusses how families living in racially and economically segregated communities must also cope with the effects of historical trauma and inter-generational racism. It also outlines specific barriers that African-Americans may face in obtaining needed services and ideas for providers on building supportive relationships with African-American children and families who have experienced complex trauma.