Advocacy
Not Alone Radio Program, May 15: Toni Hoy, Author
Toni Hoy has written a poignant book called “Second Time Foster Child”, that I think is a must read for every parent with a child in need of mental health services, as well as every therapist, social worker, member of the legislature, the juvenile justice system, and the departments of health and human services.
Not Alone Radio Program, May 8: Gayle Bluebird
Not Alone’s guest today, Gayle Bluebird, is one of the early pioneers in developing trained peer support for people experiencing mental health disorders. She told us that she was a very sad and needy child; very touch hungry. (There are still mis-informed people today who tell us young children don’t experience mood disorders!)
Not Alone Radio Program, May 1: Timothy’s Law
Timothy was an energetic little boy, who by age 7, was becoming easily frustrated and developing a serious temper. His parents provided the experienced, professional help they could afford, but as with many insurance plans, the benefits are unequal and discriminatory when providing benefits for mood disorders, emotional, and behavioral disorders, or other brain disorders. Even though the parents worked two jobs to afford treatment, the costs escalated and their other boys were suffering from a lack of parental time. Timothy still needed treatment the parents couldn’t provide.
Not Alone Radio Program, Mar. 6: Brain Injury Association of Nebraska
Not Alone listeners had the opportunity to learn about traumatic brain injuries this week from Kate Jarecke, Anne Hupka, and Peggy Reisher representing the Brain Injury Association of Nebraska. We hadn’t realized that 36,000 Nebraskans currently have a brain injury!
Not Alone Radio Program, Feb. 28: Voices for Children
Thanks to Carolyn Rooker, CEO of Voices for Children and Caitlin Pardue, Policy Associate for Behavioral Health with Voices for Children for joining Not Alone this week. Voices for Children is celebrating its 25th year as advocates for children, particularly children in need of behavioral health care.
Not Alone Radio Program, Feb 14: Moe Armstrong
Our broadcast with Moe Armstrong was a celebration of hope and recovery in respect to the challenges with behaviors and thoughts that diseases of the brain can instill. Moe was like many young men, full of strength, ambition and self-confidence. His experiences as a Marine medical corpsman during the Vietnam conflict were traumatic, leading to lost years which included homelessness, addictions, illness, and hopelessness.
At Ease USA Celebrates Successes, Looks Toward Future
At Ease USA, a program created in partnership with Lutheran Family Services to assist active military, veterans, and their loved ones in receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and related disorders, has a lot to be proud of. Since 2009, the program, which offers counseling services, group support programs, and community support, has helped more than 200 clients across the state with amazing results. According to program evaluation results, 100 percent of clients have reported a reduction in risk behaviors.
Not Alone Radio Program, Dec. 6: Peer Advocates & Consumers
This December, Not Alone launched our fifth year of programming. What a joy it has been! Our guests today were special friends who have been encouragers to Not Alone since we began our broadcasts. Ken and Theresa both began experiencing mental illness as preschoolers, both tried self-medicating with alcohol beginning at age 9, both floundered terribly and struggled to have any kind of life during their teens, 20s and 30s. The lesson we learned from Theresa and Ken is that children don’t have the words or the knowledge to tell family what they experience, so parents need to become educated about brain disorders so that their children can have hope.
Consumer-Led Change and Research Programs Help Advance Mental Health Issues
Through our work at The Kim Foundation, we have had the privilege of visiting several service providers and consumer run programs these past two months. We are encouraged and pleased to see consumers continue to play an expanding role in determining the course of treatment for mental illnesses and we applaud those efforts. When the people directly affected by mental illness feel respected and confident, when they know their voices matter, they become more willing to share their stories, needs, and goals. Community service providers and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services then have the opportunity to respond by helping to implement appropriate community resources that meet those needs.
Understanding EPSDT and How it Affects Health Care Services
Many Nebraska mental health care providers are asking “What is EPSDT, and how can it serve my clients?” It is not a new program; rather it is something that was established by Medicaid in about 1967. It is the child health component, known as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment program. Quoting from the Health Resources and Services Administration, “Federal law – including statutes, regulations and guidelines – requires that Medicaid cover a very comprehensive set of benefits and services for children, different from adult benefits. Since one in three U.S. children under age six is eligible for Medicaid, EPSDT offers a very important way to ensure that young children receive appropriate health, mental health, and developmental services.”
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