Sessions have been confirmed for the 2019 ACMH Annual Conference and we are SUPER excited about this year’s program!

The 2019 conference will kick off with a ‘Panel of Superheros’  and  breakout sessions will include:

• “The Hero’s Journey- Youth Perspectives on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health”  
• “You Don’t Need a Superpower to Improve Communication in Special Education Meetings and Individual Education Plans”
• “How to Use Social Media to Enhance your Superpowers for Good”
• ……and much more!

This year’s conference will also feature a 2-part interactive series with MI Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Mental Health Services to Children and Families.This 2-part workshop will include opportunities for audience participation and discussion where you can help to inform and guide the work of the Division and MDHHS.

• Part 1 will feature updates and current MDHHS activities, new initiatives, innovations in service delivery and areas of focus for the upcoming year. The team will also share details about the implementation of two new federal grants that will impact children and youth with mental health challenges and efforts to support access to mental health services facilitated by the MDHHS Public Health Administration and the Michigan Department of Education.
• Part 2 will focus on Family Driven/Youth Guided principals and practice; Partnerships and programming related to juvenile justice involvement; Wraparound services and other cross system collaboration for children and families involved with the public mental health system.

Participants in both sessions will have the opportunity to chat with key staff and share ideas that will be used to help inform and guide the work and focus of MDHHS and the Division of Mental Health Services to Children and Families

Other Super Sessions you certainly won’t want to miss include: 

The Hero’s Journey- Youth Perspectives on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health

The Hero’s Journey is a common tale that involves adventure, challenge and powerful revelations. It is a story that has ups and downs, and ultimately leads to the hero’s triumphant return home. Using the Hero’s Journey, this session will explore the stages and feelings that youth may experience on the path to recovery from substance abuse and mental health.  The session will also include a panel conversation with youth and young adults. Panelists will share their lived experience and perspectives on how to support youth who are struggling. Please join our discussion as we take an epic journey- the Hero’s Journey!

Parent Voice –  You Can Do It!     Even Without A Superpower

You don’t need Superpowers to use your voice, create change and improve outcomes for your family and others. Join us to learn more about the importance and power of family voices and tips for finding and using yours! This session will also include information about dealing with children who have been in the foster care system; effectively supporting families and helping to preserve them; the importance of support and resources such as parent partners, advocacy and mentorship programs; and navigating systematic and other barriers that may exist.

NEWLY ADDED:

Current Policy Issues in Children’s Mental Health

This session will include legislative updates and everything Superheros may need to need to know about current policy issues that may affect children, youth and young adults with mental health challenges and their families in order to stay up-to-date and successfully advocate!

Improving Communication in Special Education Meetings and Individual Education Plans – No Superpowers Required!

Communicating in tense or emotional special education meetings can be difficult. The Office of Special Education understands this and provides no cost services to help parents and schools communicate about planning for students with disabilities. The Michigan Special Education Mediation Program is a grant funded program providing mediation, meeting facilitation and communication workshops throughout the state. Learn how these services can help you enhance your support for students with disabilities.

The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation recently shared their  2018 Annual Report which provides a summary of  grant-making activities and highlights their accomplishments from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. ACMH is very fortunate to have been a recipient of Flinn Foundation Grants for several years and is so thankful for their ongoing support and dedication to improving the quality, scope and delivery of mental health services in Michigan!

Download the entire report here: Flinn Foundation 2018-Annual-Report

Join Michigan Alliance for Families Parent Mentors for a series of FREE webinars for parents and caregivers preparing for the new school year.

All webinars take place on Thursdays. Each topic is presented twice, at noon and 7pm. Attend the entire series or just the ones that interest you most.

Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6673070609902074891 Attendance is limited to the first 100 people who sign-in at the start of each webinar.

Please share this email or the webinar flyer with others who might be interested.

In the past, we’ve had agencies and parent groups host webinar viewing sessions. If you’re thinking about doing that, I’m here to help, please contact me.

Emilie Mullins
emilie@michiganallianceforfamilies.org

2019 Back to School Webinar Series

August 22 – Back to School with an IEP with Joyce Dearhamer and Jackie Van Horn
Let’s get the school year off to a good start with practical ideas for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

August 29 – Key Parts of the IEP with Kenya Harper-Black and Diane McGraw
Take a deep dive into the IEP. Knowing the key parts are important to having better conversations while working to achieve a free appropriate public education for your student.

September 5 – Preparing for Your Next IEP Meeting with Debbie Rock and Genevieve Hecht
Get ready for your child’s next IEP. Learn tips for what to expect for each section of the IEP, and tools for writing an effective parent input letter.

September 12 – Effective Advocacy and Communication Tips with Emilie Mullins and Stephanie Nicholls
Explore the skills parents can use to become more effective advocates for their child with a disability, as well as tools to be a better communicator.

September 19 – Advocating for Inclusion with Clare Brick, Joyce Dearhamer, Emilie Mullins
Hear from fellow parents about special education services and supports that are available to ensure that children with IEPs receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

September 26 – Do I Really Need an Advocate? with Kristen Columbus and Nicole Miller
A parent is their child’s first and best advocate. But if things aren’t working, who can you go to for help? We’ll discuss concrete steps that can be done before needing to call an advocate. Learn the difference between a mentor and an advocate.

REGISTER https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6673070609902074891
Space is limited to the first 100 people who sign-in at the start of each session.
If you require accommodations or materials in an alternative format, please let us know two weeks before the webinar.

In recognition of 2019 Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, FREDLA, The Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association  invited Family Leaders, Family Members, Caregivers and Colleagues to join a conversation about suicide prevention by sharing in 5 WORDS thoughts, feelings, or experiences related to suicide prevention.

They received over 160 submissions from 26 states. Each submission spoke from the heart about their experiences as survivors of suicide, or parents, relatives or community members affected by suicide.

HERE ARE THEIR WORDS:
https://youtu.be/ZsizeERiS8E

Check out FREDLA’s Preventing Youth & Young Adult Suicide Information Sheet here.

Treating Kids’ Mental Health Can Be a Challenge. Checkout USA Today’s article:

Getting Kids Help in Time – Rising rates of mental health and behavioral issues are prompting worry – and action

to learn more about what can help today!

Bipartisan bill packages to “Raise the Age” when people can be automatically tried as adults were reintroduced into the new legislative sessions of Michigan’s House and Senate last week.

This is the third time “Raise The Age” legislation, which moves the presumptive age to be tried as an adult from 17 to 18-years-old, has been introduced. A large coalition of impacted people, criminal justice reform organizations, activists, and legislators statewide are hoping that the third time will be the charm.

Why do so many people in Michigan remain committed to Raising the Age? Here is how Alicia Guevara Warren of the Michigan League for Public Policy put it:

“Every day we delay this change, there are 17-year-old kids who are being forced into a system that wasn’t designed for them.

Every day we hold off, these kids experience trauma. They lose crucial hours of education. They miss out on opportunities to grow and discover their potential.

But today could be the day we start to change their lives. With the start of a new legislative session and the bipartisan support this issue has, we’re so well-poised to raise the age and give kids a chance to learn from their mistakes and move forward. It’s time to do the right thing.”

The sponsors of this package represent the full diversity of Michigan, both politically and geographically, and directly address many of the objections that stymied previous versions of the package.

Jason Smith, Director of Youth Justice Policy at the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency (MCCD) believes this combination of stakeholders and advocates will make this year that Michigan finally joins the overwhelming majority of states who already Raised the Age:

“I am very optimistic about the passage of legislation this session. There is a diverse and growing coalition of stakeholders that are committed to its success. Legislative leadership on both sides of the aisle are supportive of the bills. And polling shows that the majority of Michiganders are in favor as well. Simply put, Raise the Age is sound public policy, broadly supported and long overdue.”

Not only are there reasons to be optimistic, but Tom Hickson, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy at the Michigan Catholic Conference, also thinks that the benefits of passage could have real and meaningful societal safety benefits:

“Thirty-four percent of youth exposed to the adult system are more likely to reoffend and escalate to more violent offenses than their counterparts in the juvenile justice system. Passing Raise the Age will help reduce victimization in this state and help youthful offenders get on a path to a more productive future”

The list of sponsors of the Raise the Age package in the House includes:

Rep.Roger Hauck (R), Rep. Doug Wozniak (R), Rep. Julie Calley (R), Rep. Ryan Berman (R), Rep. Michael Webber (R), Rep. Daire Rendon (R) Rep. David LaGrand (D), Rep. Vanessa Guerra (D), Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D), Rep. Brian Elder (D), Rep.Leslie Love (D), Rep. Graham Filler (R), Rep. Tommy Brann (R), Rep. Mary Whiteford (R)

The bills in the House are numbered HB 4133 through HB 4146 and include two bills (HB 4144 and HB 4146) that are designed to provide funding solutions for the implementation of Raise the Age legislation.

The list of sponsors of the Raise the Age package in the Senate includes:

Sen. Peter Lucido (R), Sen. Jeff Irwin (D), Sen. Sylvia Santana (D), Sen. Curt VanderWall (R), Sen. Marshall Bullock (D), Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D), Sen. Stephanie Chang (D), Sen. Ruth Johnson (R), Mike McDonald (R), Sen. Adam Hollier (D), and Sen. Jim Runestad (R)

And the Senate Bill numbers are SBs 84, and SBs 90 through 102.

November 28, 2018

See the post shared by Michigan Council on Crime & Delinquency below to learn more about today’s action on this issue:

This morning, Raise the Age Legislation was reported out of the MI House Law and Justice Committee to the full House for approval! Committee members showed strong support for the bills, most of which passed by a 9-2 margin.

The successful vote is a major step forward in the legislative process. Passage of the full House and Senate, culminated by the Governor’s signature, is necessary for these bills become law prior to Sine Die (the expiration of the 2017-18 Legislative Session).

Today’s vote occurred one day after the Law and Justice Committee adopted substitute bill versions that push back the legislation’s effective date to 2021.

The package also includes a funding bill sponsored by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-Troy). The Howrylak funding mechanism provides an essential, perhaps final, piece of the legislative puzzle.

“We are thrilled to see that committee members are prioritizing the safety and well-being of Michigan’s justice-involved youth!” said Mary King, executive director for the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency. “These bills represent an investment that will result in long term gains for our state.”

While the legislative process offers no guarantees, the establishment of the funding bill, along with the new implementation timeline, has created significant momentum for Raise the Age.

Read more coverage of today’s vote in the Detroit News by clicking here.

TAKE ACTION: Help Us Raise the Age in Michigan!

Michigan is one of only four states that has not yet raised the age. We are getting close, but need your help. It’s quick and simple: take action by sending your House member a letter urging him or her to Raise the Age in Michigan!

Please click here if you are interested in getting involved or taking action on this issue.