health and counseling edition - the Youth Advocacy Division
health and counseling edition - the Youth Advocacy Division health and counseling edition - the Youth Advocacy Division
FALL 2008 COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK: HEALTH AND COUNSELING EDITION IN THIS EDITION… INTRODUCTION: ACCESS TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IS CRITICAL TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ...... 3 LISTING OF HEALTH-REALTED HOTLINES . 5 HEALTH CARE REFORM IN MASSACHUSETTS: HOW ARE ADOLESCENTS AFFECTED ................... 6 For more information, to request additional copies of any Community Notebook edition, to add your organization, or to make a correction, please contact: Karen Clawson Community Notebook Coordinator Youth Advocacy Project Ten Malcolm X Blvd. Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 989-8100/(617) 989-8170 (FAX) kclawson@publiccounsel.net The Community Notebooks are also available online: www.youthadvocacyproject.org/notebooks.htm The Youth Advocacy Project would like to thank its generous longtime supporters CHRIS AINLEY AND SHELBY MARSTON ALISON COOLIDGE AND TOM BOREIKO JANIE COOLIDGE ELAINE AND J. LAWRENCE DOHAN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY THE HYAMS FOUNDATION THE LANBOURN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION THE MIFFLIN MEMORIAL FUND LISTING OF COMMONLY-PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS AND SIDE EFFECTS ......... 8 ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: THE BUREAU OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES ................................. 10 ON-CALL MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION: ACCESSING THE BOSTON EMERGENCY SERVICES TEAM (BEST) .... 13 RESOURCE GUIDE: FACILITIES FOR ADOLESCENT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE ..................................... 15 RESOURCE GUIDE: LISTINGS BY SERVICE/HEALTH ISSUE ........................ 21 Resource Locator on the Web Mass 2-1-1 has a relationship with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) allowing access to the “Resource Locator”, a statewide database. In addition to the 2-1-1 call, the Resource Locator can be found at www.mass211help.org. DIDN’T FIND THE RESOURCE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR DIAL 2-1-1 Mass 2-1-1 is a call center information and referral line. Mass 2-1-1 is a free service provided by the United Way and the Massachusetts Association of Information and Referral Specialists. 2-1-1 operators can help connect you to a host of resources, including information on: Critical health & human services Government benefits & services Non-profit organizations Support groups Volunteer opportunities Donation programs Youth-specific programs Other important resources 2-1-1 is a confidential call. In case of emergency, please dial 9-1-1. TTY services: 617-536-5872 Interpreter services are available for most languages at the regular 2-1-1 number. 2 www.youthadvocacyproject.org
COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK: HEALTH AND COUNSELING EDITION FALL 2008 INTRODUCTION: ACCESS TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IS CRITICAL TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT Logan Walsh All young people face changes as they transition from childhood to the independence of young adulthood. During this exciting time, a host of issues and concerns can arise. The rapid physical changes adolescents undergo lead to new “adult” responsibilities. Youth begin to desire greater social interaction with their peers, which in many cases leads to experimentation and “trying on” new personalities and behaviors. Mentally, adolescents are trying to understand and make sense of these new experiences as they find their place in society. In addition to the potential emotional and psychological pitfalls that come with the changes of adolescence, youth are vulnerable to a number of physical and mental health problems during this critical phase of growth. Research shows a link among mental, emotional, and physical health, all of which are required for youth to be productive members of their families and communities. The changes of adolescence cause exacerbate problems in many areas of children’s lives. Being at increased risk for physical and mental health problems heightens young people’s risk for everything from academic failure to diminished feelings of self-worth. Such issues are universal and common among all adolescents, regardless of their socioeconomic situation. Logan Walsh is a former AmeriCorps VISTA member serving the Youth Advocacy Project’s Community Notebooks initiative, and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Outdoor Education. For high-risk and underserved youth, the lack of access to services and positive role models, as well as inconsistent support networks, can compound and magnify any mental and physical health issues they experience. When a young person has an untreated mental or physical health issue, they exhibit their symptoms and the resulting strife in a number of ways, some of which can lead to court involvement, school disciplinary matters, or other social disruption. In order to provide all children with the opportunity for healthy development, caring adults must take deliberate steps to connect youth with appropriate services for their physical and mental health needs. The Youth Advocacy Project’s Community Notebook: Health and Counseling Edition is intended to help youthserving professionals identify and access appropriate care and services for their clients. In the following pages, you will find articles from local experts discussing topics that are critical to young people who are at-risk or already systeminvolved: changes to MassHealth laws and accessing health insurance for your client, accessing services from the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services of the Department of Public Health, and utilizing the range of psychiatric services provided by the Boston Emergency Services Team. The latter half of the Notebook contains a guide to resources and facilities for children’s physical and mental health. We hope the information provided will help inform your decisions about how to best discuss physical and mental health issues, as well as how to access and connect your client to appropriate services. Discussing, exploring, and addressing issues of physical and mental health are essential to allowing youth the opportunity to achieve successful life outcomes. When young people’s health is not considered along with other indicators of well-being, such as economic opportunity, safety, education, and positive relationships with peers and caring adults, the consequences can negatively affect other aspects of a youth’s life and derail the whole process of healthy youth development. On the contrary, when youth connect with professionals who take on the role of caring adults, the positive impact can be tremendous. (Continued on page 4) www.youthadvocacyproject.org 3
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FALL 2008<br />
COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK: HEALTH AND COUNSELING EDITION<br />
IN THIS EDITION…<br />
INTRODUCTION: ACCESS TO PHYSICAL<br />
AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IS<br />
CRITICAL TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ...... 3<br />
LISTING OF HEALTH-REALTED HOTLINES . 5<br />
HEALTH CARE REFORM IN<br />
MASSACHUSETTS: HOW ARE<br />
ADOLESCENTS AFFECTED ................... 6<br />
For more information, to request additional copies of<br />
any Community Notebook <strong>edition</strong>, to add your<br />
organization, or to make a correction, please contact:<br />
Karen Clawson<br />
Community Notebook Coordinator<br />
<strong>Youth</strong> <strong>Advocacy</strong> Project<br />
Ten Malcolm X Blvd.<br />
Roxbury, MA 02119<br />
(617) 989-8100/(617) 989-8170 (FAX)<br />
kclawson@publiccounsel.net<br />
The Community Notebooks are also available online:<br />
www.youthadvocacyproject.org/notebooks.htm<br />
The <strong>Youth</strong> <strong>Advocacy</strong> Project would like to<br />
thank its generous longtime supporters<br />
CHRIS AINLEY AND<br />
SHELBY MARSTON<br />
ALISON COOLIDGE<br />
AND TOM BOREIKO<br />
JANIE COOLIDGE<br />
ELAINE AND<br />
J. LAWRENCE DOHAN<br />
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF<br />
PUBLIC SAFETY<br />
THE HYAMS FOUNDATION<br />
THE LANBOURN CHARITABLE<br />
FOUNDATION<br />
THE MIFFLIN MEMORIAL FUND<br />
LISTING OF COMMONLY-PRESCRIBED<br />
MEDICATIONS AND SIDE EFFECTS ......... 8<br />
ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE<br />
CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT<br />
ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE:<br />
THE BUREAU OF SUBSTANCE<br />
ABUSE SERVICES ................................. 10<br />
ON-CALL MENTAL HEALTH<br />
INTERVENTION: ACCESSING THE BOSTON<br />
EMERGENCY SERVICES TEAM (BEST) .... 13<br />
RESOURCE GUIDE: FACILITIES FOR<br />
ADOLESCENT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL<br />
HEALTH CARE ..................................... 15<br />
RESOURCE GUIDE: LISTINGS BY<br />
SERVICE/HEALTH ISSUE ........................ 21<br />
Resource Locator<br />
on <strong>the</strong> Web<br />
Mass 2-1-1 has a relationship with <strong>the</strong><br />
Executive Office of Health <strong>and</strong> Human<br />
Services (EOHHS) allowing access to <strong>the</strong><br />
“Resource Locator”, a statewide database.<br />
In addition to <strong>the</strong> 2-1-1 call, <strong>the</strong><br />
Resource Locator can be found at<br />
www.mass211help.org.<br />
DIDN’T FIND THE RESOURCE YOU<br />
WERE LOOKING FOR<br />
DIAL 2-1-1<br />
Mass 2-1-1 is a call center information <strong>and</strong> referral<br />
line. Mass 2-1-1 is a free service provided by <strong>the</strong><br />
United Way <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Massachusetts Association of<br />
Information <strong>and</strong> Referral Specialists. 2-1-1<br />
operators can help connect you to a host of<br />
resources, including information on:<br />
Critical <strong>health</strong> & human services<br />
Government benefits & services<br />
Non-profit organizations<br />
Support groups<br />
Volunteer opportunities<br />
Donation programs<br />
<strong>Youth</strong>-specific programs<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r important resources<br />
2-1-1 is a confidential call. In case of emergency, please dial 9-1-1.<br />
TTY services: 617-536-5872<br />
Interpreter services are available for most languages at <strong>the</strong> regular 2-1-1 number.<br />
2<br />
www.youthadvocacyproject.org
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