On June 3, 2024, TCB hosted an energetic and collaborative Strategic Planning Day at Middlesex College. We were thrilled to bring together 51 participants, including legislators, non-profit leaders, state agency representatives, and parents, all dedicated to improving our state’s children’s behavioral health system.
Setting Priorities Together
We kicked off the day by setting our priorities. Participants identified critical needs in various service areas such as outpatient, intermediate services, partial hospital, residential, and inpatient hospital care. Attendees were organized into groups based on their primary work focus. One of our main goals was to identify what’s broken in our children’s behavioral health system. Through open and honest discussions, we uncovered gaps, barriers, and potential solutions to improve service delivery.
Learning from Experts and Community Leaders
We were fortunate to have the Innovations Institute at UCONN School of Social Work share their expertise on governance and system structures in children’s care and behavioral health. They presented inspiring examples from New Jersey, Maryland, and Ohio, offering valuable insights for our own efforts.
Rebbeka Seaton, Committee Chair of the West Hartford Community of Concern, delivered an engaging presentation on their work supporting youth and families in West Hartford. Rebbeka’s personal anecdotes about navigating the system highlighted the real-world challenges families face.
Parent Contributions and Collaborative Solutions
Parents were at the heart of our discussions, providing critical input on system deficiencies, barriers, and potential solutions. Highlighting on the following topics:
- Stigmas: Tackling the social stigma associated with mental health issues.
- Crisis Awareness: Recognizing needs before they become crises.
- Access to Services: Overcoming long wait times and limited availability.
- Insurance and Costs: Managing the challenges of insurance coverage and high costs.
- School Policies: Discussing the impact of school policies, like phone usage, on youth mental health.
Moving Forward
Our next step is to deliver a comprehensive strategic plan by the end of the year, detailing actionable steps to address the issues we identified and improve children’s behavioral health services.
Join Us
We warmly invite you to get involved in TCB’s work. If you’re interested in contributing to our efforts, please contact Izarelli Mendieta-Martinez at imendietamartinez@newhaven.edu for more