Project ABC Parent Leadership Opportunities
Community Education
Group Member & Lead Faculty
• Trainee: Miriam K. White, MA, OTR/L, CTRS
– Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student at the University of
Southern California (USC)
– Occupational Therapy Resident at USC’s UCEDD
• Project Faculty: Fran Goldfarb, MA, MCHES
• Project Faculty: Jessica DeBord, DDS
Project ABC Background & Rationale
• Background
– Project ABC is a six-year federally funded project to help Los
Angeles County design an integrated early childhood System of
Care service network that is based on family needs and Care service network that is based on family needs and
includes families as partners in planning and service delivery.
– Parents learn:
• Leadership skills within Project ABC
• The value of their family voice and its contributions to
organizations
f2
Slide 3
f2 Provide background your background of Project ABC and add a bullet providing background about this project (e.g. parents have been learning leadership skills in Project ABC and blah blah blah.
this gives the audience the reason we were even doing this project.fgoldfarb, 5/9/2011
Abstract
Project ABC Parent Leadership offered me the opportunity to learn about Project ABC Parent Leadership offered me the opportunity to learn about
the experience of families with children with mental health illness.
Parents used their voice to share their stories and hopes of community and
leadership involvement outside of Project ABC. This presentation will
share my experience and ways in which I have learned to provide better
services, advocacy and family-centered care.
Description of Project
• Project Goal: Help parents transition into leadership opportunities outside of Project ABC
• Steps
– Develop abstract for presentation
Identify parents interested in developing leadership – Identify parents interested in developing leadership
potential
– Identify needed supports
– Identify agencies desiring parent leadership
– Identify barriers to participation
– Develop recommendation to address those barriers
– Develop a support plan
Process
• Monthly Meetings
• Overview of Project ABC
• Literature Review
• Agency Visit• Agency Visit
• Identification of Barriers to Participation
• Development of Questions
• Focus Group
• Synthesis of Information
• Development of Recommendations
– Dissemination of Information
– Connections to LAPD
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Slide 6
f5 where is the development of recommendations?fgoldfarb, 5/9/2011
Background Research
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health– Chenven, M. (2010). Community systems of care for children's mental health. Child and
Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 19(1), 163-174.
– Clark, A. F., O’Malley, A., Woodham, A., Barrett, B. & Byford, S. (2005). Children with complex
mental health problems: Needs, costs and predictors over one year. Child and Adolescent Mental
Health, 10, 170-178.
• Experiences of Caregivers of Children with Disabilities– Crowe, Terry K., and Sandra I Florez. 2006. “Time Use of Mothers with School-Age – Crowe, Terry K., and Sandra I Florez. 2006. “Time Use of Mothers with School-Age
Children: A Continuing Impact of a Child’s Disability.” American Journal of Occupational
Therapy 60:194-203.
– Dabrowska, A., & E. Pisula. 2010. “Parenting Stress and Coping Styles in Mothers and
Fathers of Pre-School Children with Autism and Down Syndrome.” Journal of Intellectual
Disability Research 54(3):266-280.
– Davis, E., A. Shelly, E. Waters, R. Boyd, K. Cook, and M. Davern. 2009. “The Impact of
Caring for a Child with Cerebral Palsy: Quality of Life for Mothers and Fathers.” Child:
Care, Health, and Development 36(1):63-73.
– Donovan, J. Mark, Betsy J. VanLeit, Terry K. Crowe, and Elizabeth B.
Keefe. 2005. “Occupational Goals of Mothers of Children with Disabilities: Influence of
Temporal, Social, and Emotional contexts.” American Journal of Occupational Therapy
59:249-261.
Best Practices
• Evidence-Based Practices
David-Ferdon, C. & Kaslow, N.J. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for child and David-Ferdon, C. & Kaslow, N.J. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for child and
adolescent depression. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology 37(1), 62-104.
Eyberg, S.M., Nelson, M.M. & Boggs, S.R. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children
and adolescents with disruptive behavior. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology,
37(1), 215-237.
Weisz, J. R., Sandler, I. N., Durlak, J. A. & Anton, B. S. (2005). Promoting and protecting youth
mental health through evidence-based prevention and treatment. American Psychologist 60,
628–648.
A Day in the Life
• Early Childhood Mental
Health– Sensory Processing
Disorder
– Profound Hearing Loss
• “I’m tired. I need a break right
now.”
• “Managing 13 appointments per
weeks is stressful.”
• Intentional Interactions – Profound Hearing Loss
• Preschool Visit: John
Tracy Clinic
• Weekend at Home: Life
As We Know It– Family History
– Challenges
• Intentional Interactions
• Support of others is essential
• Stigmatization and Family
Dynamics
• Parents are intuitive
• Community outings are an affair
• Every parent grieves differently
Agency Visit: Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)
• Mr. Edward Vidaurri, SPA 4 District Chief
– Service Planning Area (SPA) 4: responsible for planning public
health and clinical services according to the health needs of
local communities local communities
– Discussion of Medical, Health Education & Public Health
services provided
– Funding, Grants
– Demographics
– Challenges to serving populations, stigma, access to resources
– Parent involvement & potential for parent leadership
– Barriers to parent participation
f7f8
Slide 10
f7 Ed is SPA 4 Distrcit Chieffgoldfarb, 5/9/2011
f8 the agency visit should briefly discuss what you learned about DMH and the SPA councils. You don't need to include the Project ABC goverance board infomation as this is being reported as an agency visit not a profile of Ed.fgoldfarb, 5/9/2011
Community Education/TA
• Occupational Therapy in Early Childhood Mental Health
(Psychology Fellows & Global Medicine Students)
– What is Occupational Science? – What is Occupational Science?
– What is Occupational Therapy? What does OT look like in
Mental Health?
• Motor Development, Sensory Processing, ADLs, Social Skills, Feeding
• Brainstorming with audience to address questions regarding ways in which
to identify appropriate referrals, teasing out sensory versus behavioral,
assessments, goals and interventions
• Case Presentation on Clients
Policy Brief: The Issue
• NIMH estimates that less than 20% of children and adolescents, who suffer
from mental illness severe enough to cause functional impairments, from mental illness severe enough to cause functional impairments,
receive intervention and treatment for their condition
• Without early identification, assessment and effective intervention, these
problems will only escalate.
• It is imperative that investments are made to support those in need of
services.
(Birth to Five Policy Alliance; Emdae et al (2005); Macomber, et al (2009); NGA Center for Best
Practices )
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Slide 12
f10 Put this on more than one slide. Use brief bullets. you don't have to put the entire presentation on the slide.
for example under researchUntreated mental health disorders greatly impact children's functioning and future outcomesThere is a need for increased training of early childhood providers
You don't need the other bullets supporting the need for increased training, you can include that in your presentation.
fgoldfarb, 5/9/2011
Policy Brief: Research
• Untreated mental health disorders greatly impact future
functioningfunctioning
• In-depth knowledge of child development is beneficial
• Multi-disciplinary approaches are most effective
• Increased training in early childhood mental health has proven to
have a positive impact on programs
(Birth to Five Policy Alliance; Emdae et al (2005); Macomber, et al (2009); NGA Center for Best
Practices )
Policy Brief: Recommendations
1. Coordination and implementation of federal agencies (MCHB) and
programs
– Implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs)– Implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs)
– Build early childhood mental health into systems already in
place
– Ensure early detection of mental health problems
– Shift toward family-driven services
(Birth to Five Policy Alliance; Emdae et al (2005); Macomber, et al (2009); NGA Center for Best
Practices )
Policy Brief: Recommendations Continued
Early Screenings through Part C Individual with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) Early Intervention
– Train service providers
– Provide screenings in natural environments or in a mental – Provide screenings in natural environments or in a mental
health professionals’ office
3. Increase Funding
– To allow existing programs and services to access staff training
– Provide funding to implement the State Maternal and Child
Health Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) plans
– Provide adequate insurance coverage for early childhood
mental health services(Birth to Five Policy Alliance; Emdae et al (2005); Macomber, et al (2009); NGA Center for Best
Practices )
Product/Outcome
• Investigation and recommendations to
– 1) Senior VP of Programs, Stephen Ambrose, Ph.D.
– 2) LAPD based on parent focus groups Q&A
• Presentation to CII Leadership
• Parents felt opinions did not matter, but simply filling a chair• Parents felt opinions did not matter, but simply filling a chair
– Not often felt as though their opinions mattered, but were simply
asked to sit on boards because it was required to have a parent
liaison
• Parents identified their own barriers to involvement and leadership
– Language Barriers: English vs. Spanish
– Desire to learn English to be able to communicate better with
organizations, service providers, schools, Regional Centers, etc.
• Parents identified feeling best about taking advantage of opportunities to
take on new leadership roles when given “the necessary tools to succeed”
Product/Outcome Continued
• Presentation to CII Leadership
– Assist in preparation of presentation:
• Having a voice that is heard
• Being given the appropriate resources and information needed to
be successful in new opportunities (serving on committees as well
as leadership positions)
• Parents’ desire to be leaders in the community through
development of a Neighborhood Watch Program
Product/Outcome Continued…
• Contact with the Los Angeles Police Department
(Officers Kim and Stocklein)(Officers Kim and Stocklein)
– Discussion of Focus Group with Parents of Project ABC
– Shared stories of concerns of parents with neighborhood safety
– Expressed interest in helping Project ABC Families begin a
Neighborhood Watch Program
Lessons Learned
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental
Health
– Importance of early intervention
– Stigmatization– Stigmatization
• Family-Centered Care
– Working with families IN partnership
– Prioritizing family needs
– Providing additional resources and
support to families served
Lessons Learned Continued
• Sharing of resources obtained through LEND with peers • Sharing of resources obtained through LEND with peers
and other professionals
• Interdisciplinary Team
• Perseverance is key
Next Steps
• Assist Dr. Ambrose in synthesis of presentation to assist • Assist Dr. Ambrose in synthesis of presentation to assist
with Project ABC in SPA8
• Continued partnership with LAPD Neighborhood Watch
Acknowledgments
• Fran Goldfarb, MA, MCHES
• Jessica DeBord, DDS• Jessica DeBord, DDS
• Alvin Yusin, MD
• Scenario Based Learning Group
• Shelby Surfas, OTD, OTR/L
• Stefanie Bodison, OTD, OTR/L, SWC
• Lisa Lewis, MA, OTR/L