Office of Comprehensive Child Mental Health

Missouri's Comprehensive Children's Mental Health Initiative | System of Care

The Office of Comprehensive Child Mental Health (OCCMH) was created through legislation in 2005 through SB 501 and is incorporated into statute through 630.1000 RSMo. The OCCMH is under the supervision of the Director of the Department of Mental Health in providing leadership across the three divisions of DMH in developing and implementing the Comprehensive Children's Mental Health Services Plan. Additionally, the OCCMH has an external role in provision of technical assistance and training to all departments participating in the Comprehensive Children's Mental Health Service System as outlined in SB 1003.

As outlined in SB 501 the OCCMH shall:

1. Assure oversight and monitoring for the implementation of the comprehensive child mental health service system plan;
2. Provide support, technical assistance and training to all departments participating in the development and implementation of the comprehensive child mental health services system established under 630.097;
3. Develop and coordinate service system, financing and quality assurance policy for all children's mental health services within the department of mental health;
4. Provide leadership in program development for children's mental health services within the department of mental health, to include developing program standards and provide technical assistance in developing program capacity;
5. Provide clinical consultation, technical assistance and clinical leadership for all child mental health within the department and to other child-serving agencies participating in the comprehensive child mental health system;
6. Participate in the work of the coordinating board for early childhood;
7. Participate in interagency child mental health initiatives as directed; and
8. Provider staff support and leadership to the state comprehensive system management team established under section 630.097.

Additionally, SB 501 establishes within the Department of Mental Health a Comprehensive Child Mental Health Clinical Advisory Council as appointed by the Director of DMH.

 

Publications/Resources

U.S. Children with Emotional & Behavioral Difficiulties: Data from 2001, 2002, and 2003, National Health Interview Survey reports on selected prevalence estimates for children ages 4-17 with difficulties in emotions. To view go to http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad360.pdf

Practice Notes from the North Carolina Division of Social Services and Family and Children's Resource Program, an article on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as it relates to children, and other resource sites. To view go to http:www.practicenotes.org/vol10_no3.htm

Back To School Tips, this site offers helpful suggestions on Making the First Day of School Easier; Backpack Safety; Traveling to and from School; Eating During the School Day; Before and After School Child Care; Developing Good Homework and Study Habits; Bullying and more. To view this site go to www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/augschool.htm

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children and Adolescents, this fact sheet takes a look at children and adolescents who are susceptible to developing PTSD and provides information regarding what events cause PTSD. To view this site go to www.ncptsd.org/topics/children/html

The Mental Health Links - Rural Mental Health contains online resources regarding services, technical assistance to rural agencies and advocates on mental health/substance abuse and various topics unique to rural areas. It can be read at www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/links/

Brevity is a weekly Internet newsletter published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Its contents include links to news articles, research reports, publications, and other information of interest to the field. It can be read at NCJFCJ's web site (www.ncjfcj.org ) and is also available by subscription at no charge. For more details, information, contact Brevity's editor, Joey Binard at jbinard@ncjfcj.org

The Economic Policy Institute is a link to real work analysis and a concern for the living standards of working people, and it makes its findings accessible to the general public, media, and policy makers. Suggested article: Exceptional Returns: Economic, Fiscal, and Social Benefits of Investment in Early Childhood Development. For more information go to www.epinet.org

'Connectedness' a Key to Youth Violence Prevention, an article available through "Join Together Online" at
http://www.jointogether.org/

Young Children Develop in an Environment of Relationships, from the National Council on the Developing child at
www.developingchild.net/pubs/wp/Young_Children_Environment_Relationships.pdf