Improving Children's Mental Health Through Parent Empowerment: A Guide to Assisting Families

by Peter S. Jensen, Kimberly Hoagwood

Overview

Whether you call yourself a parent advisor, advocate, coordinator, support specialist, liaison, mentor, coach, or another term, this guide provides the essential information you need as a parent helping parents. The book is divided into four parts for easy reference:

Part One: Addresses important skills you will want to hone, such as listening, collaboration, priority setting, and group management.
Part Two describes the mental health system and gives guidance for helping parents obtain appropriate treatment for their child.
Part Three covers working with the school system and the different special education options families should consider.
Part Four explains education laws and how they should be used to ensure children receive all the appropriate services they need.

Specifically designed to assist you in your work with families, this guide includes the following helpful features:
-A useful self-assessment to zero in on the key areas where you will want to focus your efforts
-Concrete strategies that work— all based on the wisdom and experience of parent mentors just like you from across the country
-Practical, easy-to-read instruction co-written by experts 'in the trenches' and leading university researchers
-Tips for parents and important points highlighted throughout the book for quick reference
-Self study questions at the end of each chapter to help reinforce what you've learned
-A handy appendix with a wealth of current resources for more information on advocacy, training programs, and children's mental health

Helping parents "take charge" of their children's mental health care is a rewarding job. It is also a challenging one. In your work empowering parents, this guide will become an invaluable resource of the knowledge you require to succeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195320909
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/13/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

Contributors vii

Preface Kimberly Eaton Hoagwood Giselle Stolper Peter S. Jensen ix

Acknowledgments xiii

1 Introduction and Background Information Belinda Ramos Geraldine Burton Kimberly Eaton Hoagwood Peter Jensen 3

2 Overview and Assessment James Rodriguez Belinda Ramos Serene Olin Geraldine Burton 9

Part I Building a Strong Foundation for Working With Parents

3 Listening, Engagement, and Collaboration Skills Lisa Hunter Romanelli Belinda Ramos Geraldine Burton 23

4 Boundary-Setting Skills James Rodriguez Belinda Ramos Lisa Hunter Romanelli Geraldine Burton 35

5 Priority-Setting Skills James Rodriguez Adam Stein Lisa Hunter Romanelli 41

6 Group Management Skills Adam Stein Lisa Hunter Romanelli James Rodriguez Geraldine Burton 57

Part II Assisting Parents in Navigating the Mental Health System

7 Getting a Mental Health Evaluation Lisa Hunter Romanelli Serene Olin Geraldine Burton Adam Stein 69

8 Understanding Psychiatric Diagnoses Serene Olin Lisa Hunter Romanelli Adam Stein 81

9 Considering Mental Health Treatments Lisa Hunter Serene Olin Geraldine Burton Polly Gipson Adam Stein 89

10 Working With Providers Serene Olin Geraldine Burton 101

11 Specific Disorders Lisa Hunter Romanelli Serene Olin 109

Part III Meeting Children's Needs Within the School System

12 Making Home and School Partnerships Work RueZalia Watkins James Rodriguez Lisa Hunter Romanelli Polly Gipson 135

13 School-Based Options for Special Education RueZalia Watkins Lisa Hunter Romanelli 145

14 Other Options for Special Education RueZalia Watkins 153

Part IV Education Laws Families Should Know

15 Overview of Federal Education Laws RueZalia Watkins 163

16 Individual EducationPlan Versus Section 504 Plan RueZalia Watkins 177

Appendixes

A Resources 189

B About the Parent Empowerment Program 195

C Index of Parent Handouts and Important Points for Parent Advisors 197

References 199

Index 201