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In the past months, the members of the Children's Behavioral Health Collaborative have been busy advocating for a strong and healthy New Hampshire.
We recently held a legislative forum at the Exeter YMCA, where parents and experts joined with lawmakers to share stories and discuss ways we can improve the system for kids struggling with behavioral health concerns in New Hampshire. We are so thankful that Granite State families and partners are able to use their passion and voice to effectuate change and look forward to the continuation of these conversations.
We also had the pleasure of training a group of new advocates ready to raise their voices for New Hampshire's System of Care at September's advocacy training. Youth and family members joined together to learn about New Hampshire's legislative process and how to create relationships with lawmakers, and got a tour of the State House from Senator Dan Feltes!
Especially during the holidays, the CBHC is grateful for the current work being done and hopeful for the future. In 2019, the Collaborative will partner with NAMI NH to further engage youth and families, expand the CBHC reach throughout New Hampshire, strengthen existing ties within the Collaborative, and advance new policy directions to strengthen New Hampshire's System of Care.
Thank you for your work and commitment!
Happy holidays!
Dellie Champagne, Community Engagement Coordinator
Becky Whitley, Policy Director
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Resilience Screening
On Thursday, January 10th, we'll be partnering with Austin17House to offer a free screening of the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope.
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Magnify Voices
Middle & high schoolers are invited to submit 2-minute films or creative writing pieces about mental health issues. Magnify your voice, raise awareness, and help other young people across NH.
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Response to Finding Hope
In October, the Concord Monitor published a series on youth suicide in New Hampshire, Finding Hope. Youth suicide is a surging crisis in NH which we can address with a comprehensive array of home and community services, as Dellie highlighted in the Monitor.
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CBHC Symposium: Looking Back and Moving Forward
In October, the CBHC held its first annual Symposium, which provided a chance for members to network and hear about the work of the Collaborative, with a focus on ways to get involved in the future.
Representatives from all five workgroups of the CBHC presented at the Symposium. Their ongoing work aims to build a coordinated System of Care for kids with behavioral health issues in NH. At the Symposium, CBHC members heard from:
- Daryll Tenney, who spoke about workforce development
- Becky Whitley, who filled the group in on the CBHC's policy work
- Erica Ungarelli, who gave an update on the 10-year mental health plan
- Amy Parece-Grogan, who discussed the work being done around equity
- Colleen Dowling who briefed attendees on communications work
Let us know if you have questions about any of the workgroups and their ongoing and future efforts to support the Collaborative or ways to get involved!
Click here for photos from the Symposium!
Also at the Symposium, the CBHC presented two incredible women with awards in recognition of their hard work to create positive communities for New Hampshire's youth.
Here, the two award winners, Karen Cusano and Alyssa Nickerson, pose with Dellie Champagne and Becky Whitley of the Collaborative:
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Karen Cusano Jennifer Wierwille Norton Champion for Children's Behavioral Health
Karen's commitment to transforming and improving the NH children's behavioral health system is unwavering. She has been part of the CBHC since it's inception and continues to provide guidance, support, and leadership as vice chair of the Steering Committee. Karen has worked at NFI North in her quest to help children for 36 years.
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Alyssa Nickerson Community Ambassador for Change in Children's Behavioral Health
Alyssa has demonstrated over and over again her dedication, determination, and courage as she advocates, supports, and educates families dealing with mental illness and suicide loss. As the mother of a son who died by suicide, Alyssa uses her story to support other families and make a long-term difference for those with mental illness.
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CBHC Policy Corner
The CBHC supports state-level policy changes to transform New Hampshire's children's mental health and substance use disorder system into an integrated, comprehensive system of care that is youth and family driven, community-based, and culturally and linguistically competent. A system of care is a value-based framework that is designed to pull together disparate service entities into one organized, coherent response.
As part of that work, CBHC members and partners have advocated strongly for effective supports for children in the state's 10 year mental health plan. The NH Department of Health and Human Services released a proposed plan, and CBHC members and partners have advocated strongly that the plan include an integrated, comprehensive system of care for children using a framework of prevention and early intervention.
Advocates attended public hearings and wrote comments with their stories and suggestions, and the final plan should be released shortly.
The CBHC will continue to advocate for support for the 10 Year Mental Health plan, and will provide you with updates throughout the year.
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2019 Policy Priorities
Now that our new legislators have been sworn in, we'll continue advocating for policies that support a System of Care for children with behavioral health needs.
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For more information on what's going on at the State House, contact Becky Whitley at [email protected]. If you are able to share your story with lawmakers, contact Dellie Champagne at [email protected]
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New Hampshire's Prevention Framework for Schools
New Hampshire's Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health and Wellness (MTSS-B) is a "way of doing business" that puts into place school- and community-based behavioral health practices so that every student can achieve health and wellness and be successful in school. MTSS-B employs a systemic, continuous-improvement framework integrating school behavioral health practices across all levels of the educational system for supporting every student.
School districts which have implemented MTSS-B, like Laconia, have seen drastic improvement in children's behavioral health and overall family health and wellness. Unfortunately, the framework is not utilized statewide. Ensuring access to MTSS-B across the state will give all children what they need, while also supporting teachers and schools.
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Workforce Network Updates
The mission of the CBHC's Workforce Development Network is to ensure a highly-effective, diverse workforce by building a sustainable, responsive, and effective cross-sector system for workforce development that is infused with the core competencies and system fo care values and guiding principles.
As a highly active committee of the CBHC, the Workforce Development Netowrk has had a busy 2018.
Click here to see what the Workforce Development Network has been up to lately.
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Member Spotlight
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Community Bridges Community Bridges' Early Supports and Services program provides home-based support to children birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay, qualifying diagnosis, or are at high risk for developmental delay.
Click to read more >>
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Greater Nasua Mental Health Center
GNMHC aims to empower people to lead full and satisfying lives through effective treatment and support. The agency delivers services to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.
Click to read more >>
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NH Psychological Association
NHPA aims to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare. Members provide various psychological services & advocate on behalf of clients.
Click to read more >>
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Upcoming Events
Click on the event links for more information. Contact Dellie Champagne at [email protected] to have your event listed in a future newsletter.
- January 8, 2019: Advocacy Training, New Futures
- January 9 - February 27, 2019: Parents Meeting the Challenge, Online
- Junary 10, 2019: Resilience Documentary Screening
- January 19, 2019: It's Your Move, NAMI NH
- February 1, 2019: Child Parent Psychotherapy Learning Session
- March 4, 2019: Advocacy Training, New Futures
- March 9, 2019: NAMI NH Annual Conference
- April 5, 2019 - Youth Summit 2019
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