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

Whether you call yourself a parent advisor, advocate, coordinator, supportspecialist, liaison, mentor, coach, or another term, this guide provides theessential information you need as a parent helping parents. The book is dividedinto 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 helpingparents obtain appropriate treatment for their child. Part Three covers working with the school system and the different specialeducation options families should consider. Part Four explains education laws and how they should be used to ensurechildren receive all the appropriate services they need. Specifically designed to assist you in your work with families, this guideincludes the following helpful features: -A useful self-assessment to zero in onthe key areas where you will want to focus your efforts -Concrete strategiesthat work-- all based on the wisdom and experience of parent mentors just likeyou from across the country -Practical, easy-to-read instruction co-written byexperts 'in the trenches' and leading university researchers -Tips for parentsand important points highlighted throughout the book for quick reference -Selfstudy 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 onadvocacy, training programs, and children's mental health Helping parents 'take charge' of their children's mental health care is arewarding job. It is also a challenging one. In your work empowering parents,this guide will become an invaluable resource of the knowledge you require tosucceed.

Peter S. Jensen, M.D., is Director and President of The REACH Institute (the Resource for Advancing Children's Mental Health). Kimberly Eaton Hoagwood, Ph.D., is Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry in the Division of Services and Policy Research at Columbia University.