NIMH: Parent Training Complements Medication for Treating Behavioral Problems in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Treatment that includes medication plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study, which was part of the NIMH Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network, was published in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
NEW TRANSITION PROGRAM TAKES YOUNG ADULTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO REAL WORLD
Chapel Haven Abilis , a transition to independent living day program for young adults with autism and related disorders, is scheduled to open in January 2010 on the UConn/Stamford campus. The program is a collaboration between Abilis, lower Fairfield County’s nonprofit service provider for children and adults with developmental disabilities, and Chapel Haven of New Haven, a nationally recognized provider of transition programs. Both agencies are well respected for providing high-quality services for children and adults in Connecticut.
Program Overview
Chapel Haven Abilis will serve young adults age 18 to 24 who are on the Autism Spectrum or have a related disorder. This unique initiative unites the strengths and experience of each agency to help students on the Autism Spectrum and with related disorders reach their highest level of independence and optimize opportunities for employment.
The Chapel Haven Abilis program is built around a social-communicative core. The program will focus on education, career exploration, independent living skills, community access and recreation. The University of Connecticut campus in downtown Stamford will be the main site for the program, with access to classrooms, media center, fitness center, café and other areas. Community-based experiences will be an integral part of the program. The campus is within walking distance of a variety of community options, such as the Ferguson Library, large retail outlets, movie theaters, restaurants and recreational facilities.
Chapel Haven Abilis will be a year-round, five-day program but can be tailored to meet individual needs. Abilis may be a resource for families needing assistance with residential options. The curriculum is built around a two-year time frame, with an optional third year as needed to enhance independence for each student. Using the Chapel Haven curriculum, the first year emphasizes functional academics, vocational skills and community independence. The second year provides opportunities for the student to increase his or her independence and to begin application of vocational skills in real-world work environments.
Admission to Chapel Haven Abilis begins with a phone call to Dr. Susan Izeman, director of the Abilis Autism Program. After the initial contact, application materials will be sent to the student and family. Dr. Izeman and Chapel Haven's VP of Admissions will review intake materials, including current IEPs, psychological and educational evaluations, functional adaptive assessments and vocational assessments. Next, prospective students and their parents will be invited for an interview and campus tour.
Admission is based on the applicant's skills and interest to participate in the program. Chapel Haven Abilis will successfully serve young adults with:
· A diagnosis of Autism, ASD, PDD or a related language or social disability;
· Intellectual functioning in the mild to low average range;
· No serious behavioral or mental health concerns;
· An ability to work in small- to medium-sized groups with minimal assistance; and
· A motivation for increased independence.
For more information about Chapel Haven Abilis or to begin the application process, please contact:
Susan Izeman, PhD, BCBA, Director, Chapel Haven Abilis
About Chapel Haven: Based in New Haven, Conn., Chapel Haven, Inc. has been a leader in transition programming since 1972. Chapel Haven has maintained a strong local and national reputation for successfully teaching adults with cognitive disabilities to live independently in the community. Chapel Haven has strategically aligned itself with internationally recognized experts in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders, creating a unique curriculum specifically to meet the needs of this population.
About Abilis: Since 1951, Abilis has set the standard in Fairfield County for person-centered, community-based supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Abilis has developed strong relationships with area school districts, community agencies and families throughout Fairfield County. In 2000, Abilis created the Abilis Autism Program in response to increasing needs of children and teens on the Autism Spectrum and their families.
Top Five Things to Do if Your Child is Suspended By Phillip Cohn, Esq.
If your child is suspended from school, these suggestions will
help you protect his or her rights:
Campus Mental Health: Know Your Rights! is a guide for college and university students seeking mental health services. The guide was developed by a group of young adults advising theBazelonCenterfor Mental Health Law. The guide informs students about their legal rights and offers guidance on topics including where to seek help, academic accommodations and hospital care.
TheBazelonCenteris a legal advocacy organization representing people with mental health disabilities.
A Resource for Families Considering Residential Treatment Programs for Their Children
September 2008
If you care for a child with a serious mental illness, you are not alone. According to the Surgeon General, 1 in 5 American children and adolescents live with mental illnesses and nearly 5 million suffer from a serious mental disorder that significantly interferes with daily functioning.
Caring for a child with a mental illness can be overwhelming and often strains marriages and family relationships. Children with serious mental illnesses may struggle in school, threaten violence to themselves or others, or get caught in the juvenile justice or criminal justice systems. Meanwhile caregivers often experience frustration, guilt, or anxiety as they struggle to find help for their child.
Although most children with mental illnesses respond to standard treatments, some children with more serious mental illnesses continue to struggle. If you are a caregiver who has utterly exhausted community mental health care resources, you may be considering sending your child to a residential treatment center.
In theUS, private residential treatment facilities for youth serve 10,000 to 14,000 children and adolescents. Many residential programs are not subject to any state licensing or monitoring as mental health facilities. While some residential programs offer nurturing and caring environments and use evidence-based interventions, others are highly dangerous and damaging. The most concerning programs are those that operate under the philosophy that young people must be broken before they can be helped. These programs use disciplinary techniques such as degrading confrontation, deprivation of basic physical needs, and alienation from family. These abusive methods can confer permanent psychological damage and divide the young person from his or her family.
Residential treatment is an extreme measure that should only be taken if local resources have proven inadequate. Conscientious residential programs that use proven interventions such as evidence-based psychotherapy, drug and alcohol counseling, parent support and education, and social-skills training can strengthen families and help facilitate live-saving changes.
The time spent in a residential program should be as short as possible, with the goal of returning the child to his or her family and community with the least amount of stress and disruption possible.
The following five lists of suggestions and information have been compiled from various sources to help you make an informed decision about sending your child to residential treatment.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a new nationwide report showing that one in every 12 adolescents, about 2.1 million teens, experienced major depression in the past year. The survey also revealed that adolescent females are twice as likely as adolescent males to experience a major depressive episode.
For almost half of the teens, depression drastically reduced their abilities to deal with aspects of their daily lives.
NEW WEB PAGE HELPS USERS IDENTIFY EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has developed a new Web page to assist the public in identifying evidence-based programs and practices that can prevent and/or treat mental and substance use disorders. Debuting online today, A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices on the Web at www.samhsa.gov/ebpWebguidefeatures 37 Web sites that contain information about specific evidence-based interventions or provide comprehensive reviews of research findings.The Web Guide - a component of SAMHSA's Science and Service Initiative - can be used by stakeholders throughout the behavioral health field to promote awareness of current intervention research and to increase the availability and implementation of evidence-based practices. Users can browse the listings in the Web Guide by content area, age group, or treatment setting. Each listing includes the name of the organization sponsoring the Web site, a hyperlink to the actual Web site, a statement of the site's purpose and intended audience(s), and key features, such as sources of evidence and review processes and information on resources needed to implement the evidence-based practices properly. For more information, visit A Guide to Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) on the Web at www.samhsa.gov/ebpWebguide . SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health services delivery systems.
NAMI-Child and Adolescent Network
NAMI-CAN is a grass roots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of families whose children have biological brain disorders such as:
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Major and BiPolar Depression
Schizophrenia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Tourette's Disorder
Panic/Anxiety Disorders
Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder
Conduct/Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Learning Disorder
The brain is an organ that can malfunction just as any other. Alterations in brain chemistry can cause changes in behaviors and a child's ability to socialize and function in society. NAMI-CAN strives to help families help their children by:
Providing emotional support to new families by linking them with those families who know what they are going through and can help them negotiate the many difficulties they must overcome including educational challenges, medical issues and others.
Sharing information and providing educational opportunities to learn about neurobiological disorders
By advocating for improved public understanding, services and more research on neurobiological disorders in children and adolescents
Multi-cultural outreach and networking with other family groups:
NAMI-CT is part of a coalition, FAVOR (Family Advocacy Organization for Children's Mental Health) which consists of family groups devoted to children's mental health issues:
AFCAMP: African Carribean Families of Children with Disabilities
PAP: Padres Abriendo Puertas
and Families United.
NAMI-CT partners with these groups and other grassroots family groups to offer educational programs and materials in both English and Spanish.
Connecticut, Inc
Childrens Outreach
