Friday Update 5-4-18 

Greetings faithful readers. Wow. Another week of breaking news, as in breaking news every 5 to 10 minutes. As my head continues to spin (and I’ll bet yours is spinning as well), it seems only appropriate to channel a bit of Radiohead and their hauntingly beautiful song, Spinning Plates. Pay attention to the lyrics, resolve yourself to find strength in your advocacy, and then get to readin’ Friday Update, cuz we got work to do!

Most important reads for this week 

A Framework for Mental Health Research in the United Kingdom
Many thanks to our colleagues at MQ, a British-based mental health advocacy organization in the UK, for alerting us to this report.The report provides a collective view of how mental health research should develop in the UK over the next decade. It sets out a structure to improve coordination and strengthen the focus on areas where mental health research is likely to translate into significant health benefit. I wonder if we could learn something from this report here in the good old USA?

Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis
The answer to the disparity in death rates has everything to do with the lived experience of being a black woman in America.

The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances 2016 Report to Congress
This 2016 report provides an overview of data from the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances program. It presents findings that indicate that systems of care provide services and promote positive outcomes for underserved children and youth within the mental health system. Keep it up, CMHI faithful!

Issue Brief Addresses Early Childhood Trauma
CHDI’s latest Issue Brief highlights the recent availability of Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC), an effective trauma-focused intervention for young children. The expansion of ARC, along with three other evidence-based practices for young children, is part of the Early Childhood Trauma Collaborative’s (ECTC) work to increase Connecticut’s capacity to identify and treat traumatic stress in young children.

Pathways Focal Point is Now Available!
The 2018 Focal Point is a special State-of-the-Science issue, summarizing current research – and highlighting Pathways’ work – on a series of topics related to self-determination and community integration among youth and young adults with mental health challenges.

New Brief: Establishing the Foundations of Social-Emotional Development in the First Three Years
This issue brief, created by The Pennsylvania State University with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is one of a series of briefs that addresses the need for research, practice, and policy on social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL is defined as the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Nuestra Salud “Bringing Behavioral Health Best Practices to Latino Communities – Live Spanish Webcasts
Still two more great webinars in this continuing series! Hosted by the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA), each one-hour Webcast will be moderated and broadcast in Spanish bringing together a panel of experts from across the U.S. to discuss important and relevant Latino behavioral health topics.

Kaiser Permanente Commits $2 Million to Gun Injury Prevention Research
Kaiser Permanente has invested $2 million in research for gun injury prevention and formed a Task Force on Firearm Injury Prevention, which will “address preventable gun-related injuries and death, whether by suicide, homicide or accident.” Kaiser Permanente “will collaborate with key stakeholders to share findings and disseminate best practices through various channels such as webinars, white papers, and peer-reviewed publications.”

Health Equity Report
This report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) presents a comprehensive analysis of HRSA’s efforts in reducing health disparities and promoting health equity for various populations at the national, state, and local levels. Trends are presented for program areas such as mental and behavioral health, chronic disease prevention and health promotion, health workforce, and rural-urban and geographic disparities.