The following is a series of three (3) excerpts from the grant the AYFN is working on.
In 1989 NAMI Alaska formed it's Children's Committee. That committee worked at the statewide systems level to improve plans and seek changes in the laws, regulations, and grant processes. This was in support of the national efforts to encourage the use of multidisciplinary research findings to improve the effectiveness of programs.
That committee prepared the AKAMI Plan For Improving Services For children And Youth Who Have A Mental Illness, March 1997 to provide guidance while working with the Alaska Mental Health Board on Shared Vision II. This new plan will provide guidance in the next step: e.g., implementing key portions of the state's plan.
In 1998 AYFN was formed. It is currently an autonomous committee of NAMI Alaska, but is in the process of applying for its own 501(c)(3). AYFN is governed by a board-of-directors. At least 51 percent of these directors must be care-givers of children under age 18 who have an emotional or behavioral disorder.
In October 1999 the new AYFN Board of Directors held a retreat to reach consensus on their guiding direction, which is presented in this plan as the Purpose, Values, and Vision of AYFN. This direction is at the beginning of this plan because the plan must be consistent with that product. The AYFN board defines its purpose as:
Because AYFN supports science-based approaches to services, this plan borrows from national sources such as the Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, Healthy People 2010, the CMHS grant and reports from the national Technical Assistance Centers.
AYFN wishes to work within the system. Hence, we worked with the Alaska Mental Health Board on A Shared Vision II, The Alaska Mental Health Strategic Plan 1999-2003, and we have coordinated this plan with the state plan.
Therefore, this plan builds on existing principles and plans. However, because AYFN wishes to be a catalyst for effective change, this plan considers how to creatively use the authorities that exist locally as well as at the state level to hasten needed changes.
Using the Center for Mental Health Services data, Alaska has about 37,000 children under age 18 with an emotional, behavioral or Mental disorder, of which about 19,000 have a serious emotional disturbance. Very few of the children with SED have been identified and receive effective smices. In a number of communities providers are currently planning for some form of systems of care, but frequently without the help of knowledgeable family members. With this grant AYFN will train teams of families from selected communities so that they can better participate as partners in these planning efforts so that the needs of children with SED and their families included.
The target populations are families and care givers of children, from birth to age 18, who have a serious emotional disturbance. However, AYFN defines itself as responsible for all programs for children with emotional disturbances from preconception care through the transition years into adult programs. The transition period can be one of the most difficult for paxents of children with SED. Also, the Committee can work with advocacy groups who are concerned with risk-reduction programs such as the March of Dimes, Healthy Families Alaska, and Early Head Start. Science-based risk reduction needs to be strengthened in Alaska
AYFN was formed to make services both more accessible (systems of care) and more effective (best practices). At the state level there is a need to change the laws, regulations and grants to provide incentives for providers to work together in a systems-of-care format. Also, changes are needed to improve the four cornerstones of effective treatment: early identification, accurate and complete diagnosis, appropriate and effective use of medications, and improvement in other interventions that have empirical research evidence that they work. This requires networking and joint work among statewide advocacy and professional groups, and state boards
At the local level, strengthening of family networks is needed so that families can work with the professionals in policy moldng and in planning for and evaluating services. We will use the annual statewide children's conferences to educate families (and professionals) and to encourage the development of local networks.
In October 1999, the AYFN Board defined its purpose as follows: "To be a catalyst for effective changes in public perceptions and in services for children with an emotional disturbance and their families so that they can attain their fullest potential."
Alaska Young Family Network (AYFN) is a statewide organization of people who wish to improve the effectiveness of services for children with emotionalibehavioral and mental disorders. Our Board of Directors are a majority of family members who have children who experience severe emotional disturbances. AYFN wishes to be a catalyst for effective change in public perceptions and for science based services and best systems of care for childrcns'/young adults' mental health services, so they may attain their fullest potential. Our vision is a transformed mental health service delivery system where families are partners with professionals in setting policy for services which affect the children's care and recovery.
Our goals for this project are:
Services will be provided through the use of training opportunities at the state and local levels. The dissemination of educational materials over the internet, at conferences, on our website, and through networking will be some of the tools used to advance the goals of this project.
Services will be provided by AYFN staff, board members, volunteers, and contracted, professional, local and nationally recognized speakers at training events. Partnering with other local and statewide groups and agencies will be used to advance our goals and reach more family members/ consumers in efforts to educate people and reduce the stigma of mental illness. Technical Assistance Centers will be used to help provide research , best practices development, and community systems of care.
Anticipated achievements of the project are:
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