Project Grant H79SM086271

PACER'S MINNESOTA STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK - PACER CENTER'S MINNESOTA STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK (MSFN) PROJECT - ABSTRACT MSFN WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE STATE'S MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS BY INCREASING FAMILIES' CAPACITY TO NAVIGATE SYSTEMS AND PARTICIPATE IN MENTAL HEALTH POLICY, PLANNING, AND IMPLEMENTATION. PACER WILL DEVELOP PARENT AND YOUTH LEADERS, PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT, INFORM POLICYMAKERS ABOUT THE SERVICE GAPS, AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY FAMILIES. THE PRIMARY POPULATION TO BE SERVED BY THIS PROJECT IS FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE (SED) ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, AS WELL AS RELATED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH THEM. MSFN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: GOAL 1. TRANSFORM MN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED SYSTEMS BY INCREASING LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION OF FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION. OBJ. 1.1. SUPPORT 15-20 FAMILY AND YOUTH LEADERS ANNUALLY THROUGH TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT ACTIVITIES. GOAL 2. IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE BY PROVIDING INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. OBJ. 2.1. PROVIDE AT LEAST 1,500 INSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE VIA PHONE, EMAIL, AND IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS. OBJ. 2.2. CONDUCT A MINIMUM OF 13 TRAININGS AND PRESENTATIONS IN MULTIPLE FORMATS FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. GOAL 3: SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT EXPERIENCES OF FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF POLICYMAKERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. OBJ.3.1. PARTICIPATE IN A MINIMUM OF 12 MEETINGS OR COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDE INPUT AND FEEDBACK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FACED BY FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SED. OBJ. 3.2. DEVELOP PRINT AND ONLINE RESOURCES ON MENTAL HEALTH TOPICS AND DISTRIBUTE TO MORE THAN 200,000 FAMILIES, PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHERS ANNUALLY. GOAL 4. COLLECT DATA AND EVALUATE ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE MSFN PROJECT IS ACHIEVING MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES AND HAVING DESIRED IMPACT. OBJ. 4.1. COLLECT NECESSARY DATA TO REPORT ON REQUIRED PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND PROJECT-SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES. OBJ. 4.2. REVIEW EVALUATION DATA QUARTERLY TO ASSESS PROGRESS AND MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES TO PROJECT DELIVERY TO IMPROVE IMPACT. PACER WILL UTILIZE THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS TO ACHIEVE THE MSFN'S PROJECT OBJECTIVES: HOLD FAMILY LEADERSHIP SUMMIT; DEVELOP YOUTH BOARD'S LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY SKILLS; PROMOTE ONGOING POLICY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES; PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT, AND POLICY INFORMATION TO FAMILIES; CONDUCT WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS; PROVIDE CULTURALLY COMPETENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION TO CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE FAMILIES; PARTICIPATE IN STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH STATE AND LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH AGENCIES; ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH STATE POLICIES; DEVELOP NEW WRITTEN AND VIDEO RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS; DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC AND PRINT NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA; COLLECT DATA AND EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES. PACER'S MSFN WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 1,750 DUPLICATED FAMILY MEMBERS AND PROFESSIONALS ANNUALLY AND 5,250 TOTAL OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. THOUSANDS MORE WILL BE REACHED THROUGH DISSEMINATION AND OUTREACH. PACER LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING ITS STRONG HISTORY OF PARTNERING WITH POLICYMAKERS AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES TO IMPROVE THE STATE'S SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SED AND THEIR FAMILIES.