20th Annual Conference
November 20 - 23, 2008 • Atlanta Georgia
Workshops and Poster Sessions are posted!
National Award applications now online.
Vote for your favorite for:
- Claiming Children Award
- Making a Difference Award
- Celebration of Youth
- Karl Dennis "Unconditional Care" Award
Go to the Awards page now, download the application and send it in!
Webinar Training Series!
The National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health is teaming up with Magellan Health Services to bring you an exciting five-part webinar training series on Family Driven Care and Youth Guided Care. You can sign up for one or all of the webinars. Led by national experts in each topic area, these web-based training sessions provide you an opportunity to learn the latest information and strategies for implementing a family driven and youth guided care approach. Learn more here! Download the flyer! 
Children's Mental Health Awareness Week was a Rousing Success!
Send us pictures of your events this past week and we will post them!
The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health again declared the first full week in May, May 4 - 10 as National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. All across the country Federation Chapters and State Organizations conducted successful activities and events that focused on promoting positive children's mental health.
As the pictures and accounts come in we will post them. Here are just a few with many more to come!
Move
The Capitol Hill briefing on Children’s Mental Health; Meeting Their Needs to Achieve Success in Schools and Communities. Panelists include Laurel L. Stine - Director of Federal Relations, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Representative Tim Murphy, Wilfredo Soto, Youth Coordinator for the Partnership for Kids/PARK Project, Stanley Bernard - Program Director, Greater Bridgeport Systems of Care. The major themes the panel discussed were the reduction of stigma, the importance of family involvement in Mental Health, and the need for greater support.
TJ Curtis, Chairman Youth MOVE National, Lorrin Gehring National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and Antonio Wilson Youth MOVE National, hanging out after the successful Awareness Day at the Lincoln Theater in Washington DC.
TJ Curtis, Chairman, Youth M.O.V.E. National officially launched the Dare to Dream Campaign at the “Still I Rise” performance at the Lincoln Center on Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker joined the festivities, shown here with Sandra Spencer, Executive Director, National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. Herschel Walker was an honored guest at the event, who shared stories of his own mental health challenges and how he as able to find confidence in himself and strive for success in both his personal and professional life.
Here are some great shots from the Arizona Poster Campaign
And how about the great article with Carol Tiernan and Brianne Masselli in Maine?
Andi Everingham from Bear Paw KMA in Montana shared these great pics!
Curious about how Federation chapters and state organizations prepared for Children's Mental Health Awareness week? Take a look and see!
Dare to Dream America! 
Youth MOVE National, a subsidiary of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, is launching Dare to Dream America; based on the successful Dare to Dream Program in Ontario, Canada. The Dare to Dream America Program provides an opportunity for youth (23 years of age and under) to get involved in mental health awareness activities. Successful applicants are awarded a grant up to $1000 to do projects that promote mental health awareness.
The Dare to Dream America is coordinated by youth and designed
for youth, like you, who are interested in making your peers and community more aware of 
mental illness and decreasing the stigma that is typically associated with it. This is your chance to stand up and help youth in your school and community who struggle with mental illness on a daily basis.
Download the Details 
Download the Application
Call to Action
Executive Director Sandra A. Spencer issued a powerful charge to the National Federation membership during the Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., December 9, 2007. Her charge is focused on addressing the issue that too many times tragic outcomes result from law enforcement’s response to children and youth in mental health crisis.
Sandra Spencer’s speech was preceded by comments from Ronald Ruecker, President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). He began, “On behalf of IACP we are pleased to work with you. IACP is the world’s oldest and largest law enforcement association. Our leadership is made up of executives from international, local, state, and tribal agencies around the world. Since 1893 we have been serving needs of law enforcement with research, services, and programs such as the FBI finger printing.” After describing the progress made in the relationship between the National Federation and the IACP, he concluded with his own statement of hope for the future, stating “We hope that our collaboration will allow us to be in better understanding of children with mental illnesses. Some of you had tragic and unfortunate interactions with police. … We want to make a difference. Our children’s and youth’s lives depend on it.”
Check these out!
Definition of Family-Driven
Other Resources
Some
documents are provided in PDF format and do require the free
Adobe Acrobat Reader. 
