What's Great In Our State: Celebrate Children's Mental Health

Governor Cuomo Proclaims May 9 as Children's Mental Health Awareness Day in New York State

ALBANY, NY (05/09/2011)(readMedia)-- Five innovative programs for children were honored Monday, May 9 for their positive influence on the social and emotional development of New York State's children and teens, their families and loved ones. Coordinated by the Office of Mental Health and Families Together in New York State, What's Great in Our State: A Forum to Celebrate Children's Mental Health was held at the New York State Museum and attended by young people, family members, health and mental health service providers, leaders and advocates.

James Introne, New York State Deputy Secretary for Health and Director of Health Care Redesign, presented Governor Andrew Cuomo's proclamation of May 9, 2011, as Children's Mental Health Awareness Day in New York State.

OMH Commissioner Michael F. Hogan, PhD, said, "We are proud to recognize these innovative programs for their efforts in promoting positive social and emotional development of children. It's time to treat mental health conditions as we do other health conditions, with early identification and intervention to avoid more serious and costly long-term consequences."

Paige Pierce, Executive Director of Families Together in New York State, said, "New York State is a leader in addressing children's mental health concerns, and recognizing the importance of the programs and families that play a vital role in impacting the mental health and other child serving systems. What's Great in Our State is a wonderful celebration of outstanding programs, and of the collaboration between youth, families, agencies, and state leaders. Every day we are inspired by the stories of the children and families, but we are also challenged by them to work hard to make positive change that is family centered and culturally competent. This event today is a promise that we will work together to continue to improve and make change."

Kristin Riley, Deputy Commissioner and Director, OMH Children and Family Services, said, "Today we celebrate wonderful New Yorkers who make this State an innovator in children's social and emotional development. Their dedication to improving the lives of children and their families through early and effective intervention is an inspiration."

Five programs were recognized at the event:

• Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, is continuing its award winning efforts to provide resources and emotional support to military families with young children. Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes is a bilingual (English and Spanish), multimedia outreach program designed to help support military families with children between the ages of 2 and 5 experiencing deployments, multiple deployments or when a parent returns home changed due to a combat related injury.

• The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education and Support (C.A.P.E.S.) regional program for primary care physicians is a training and consultation initiative designed to help upstate primary care physicians better meet the mental health needs of child and adolescent patients. Active since 2005, the C.A.P.E.S. program offers evidence-based training curriculum and consultation services with a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

• The Family Access and Connection Team (FACT) is a collaborative effort involving Monroe County's Community Corrections, Child and Family Services and Office of Mental Health. These partners are committed to creating family-driven, strength-based, individualized responses that assure the safety and well-being of Monroe County youth and families and appropriately respond to their identified needs.

• The Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) is a high tech career-focused mentoring program for youth who are involved with, or at-risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. Serving youth in Albany, Chemung and Wayne Counties, the RAMP model utilizes a combination of group, peer and one-on-one mentoring to promote the successful transition to employment, continued learning opportunities and independent living.

• New York State's Home Visiting programs throughout New York State are being honored for their effectiveness in touching young lives. Home visiting works with families in their own homes and provide the information and social supports parents need to support and nurture their children's healthy development. Home visiting programs are designed to support the well-being of children, mothers and families including improvements in prenatal, maternal and newborn health; child health and development, mental health, parenting skills, school readiness, juvenile delinquency, and family economic self-sufficiency.