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International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools
Newsletter

We publish an email newsletter and send it to members all over the world.

The latest issue is July 2004. (Requires a PDF reader

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If you would like more information about the newsletter, or if you would like to contribute an article to the next issue, contact the editor. Also, please let us know if you have friends or colleagues who might like to join Intercamhs and receive our newsletters. Just supply us their names and contact addresses.

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Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

Presentations

Twelve Intercamhs members gave presentations at the first International Meeting. Here is a brief synopsis of each presentation and the email address of the member who gave it. You are welcome to contact the presenters for further information.

Peter Paulus, Germany

Although Germany does not have a national policy on school mental health promotion, the country has, over the last 10 to 12 years, paid attention to school mental health problems with various programs that tackled the issue indirectly. One new four-year program just starting in Germany targets mental health more directly. This is the problem-based and setting-based resource “MindMatters”, an adaptation of an Australian project for mental health promotion in secondary school. In a “qualification of education through health” approach we have a growing number of efforts to improve schools as organizations through health promotion. The main focus here is on teachers’ mental health problems and salutogenetic factors. Available data in Germany shows that teachers very often have mental health problems due to stress and often retire early because of mental illness (“depression”).

[email protected]

Jean-Pierre Valla, Canada

Jean-Pierre presented recent research that documented the prevalence of ‘over-indulged’ children (with related problems such as obesity). He indicated that this group had now reached epidemic proportions in Quebec, creating major problems in schools and taxing the mental health care system (although these children may not be considered psychiatric cases). Early screening using the Dominic Interactive (DI) and Cognitive Behavioral group Interventions (CBI) can help solve these pressing problems.

[email protected]

Jim Koller & Ed Morris, Missouri, United States

The Center for the Advancement of Mental Health Practices in Schools at the University of Missouri – Columbia strives to prepare individuals who work with children and adolescents to address the mental health needs of today’s youth. The Center offers resources for school personnel, parents, and the community to encourage the development of mental health practices in our schools and throughout the community. The following resources can be utilized from the Center: courses for teachers and other human services personnel that focus on the mental health needs of children and adolescents, as well as school staff; unique on-line masters and educational specialist degree programs with a focus on mental health in schools; research-based training modules on mental health issues that focus primarily on prevention; consultation services for groups or individuals.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Katherine Weare, United Kingdom

Mental health and education have traditionally operated in separate arenas and been rather suspicious of one another, but they are now starting to work together more effectively. Mental health is no longer seen as a synonym for mental illness; it is increasingly seen as being ultimately about positive wellness as well as a concern with problems. Education is increasingly interested in the role of emotion in education, in learning and in behavior. Concerns about teacher stress are bringing teachers’ mental health to the forefront, as teachers are unlikely to be interested in the mental health of students if they themselves do not feel supported and cared for. Recent experience in the US and UK suggests that agencies that want to work with schools to promote mental health need to understand these major changes, capitalize on them, and liaise with a range of other agencies. They need to work in a preventive, low key, flexible manner, shaping the whole school context to promote the mental health of all, as well as working with those with problems.

[email protected]

Michael Murray, United Kingdom

Mental health promotion in schools has been under-funded for many years and the degree and prevalence of mental health problems among children have been under-estimated. It is against this background that promotion and prevention has become an increasingly important feature of health policy at local, national and international levels. Recent years have witnessed a series of initiatives to promote collaboration and co-operation between organizations and individuals, but further action is needed to bring people, programs and policies together. It is not so much lack of expertise, knowledge or even effective programs that hinders progress, but the lack of: shared information about ongoing research and programs; international collaboration and co-ordination; and management and planning in the development, dissemination and implementation of effective programs.

[email protected]

Kevin Hogan, Minnesota, United States

As a recipient of a Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative grant in 2000, Saint Paul Public Schools have had an opportunity to develop and implement school-based mental health programming, utilizing community-based mental health consultants (Wilder Foundation – Mental Health and Educational Services), school support staff and the learner support framework developed by the School Mental Health Project-UCLA. The impact of this work has set a foundation for school reform in this area in the Saint Paul Schools and has begun to show positive effects on school climate and student success.

[email protected]

Pauline Dickinson, New Zealand

TRAVELLERS is a study exploring the potential of a targeted school-based group program to enhance protective factors for young people experiencing change, loss and early signs of emotional distress. The study has involved a pilot phase with two secondary schools over one year and a two-year trial phase during 2002/2003. The TRAVELLERS project provides a means of identifying and selecting young people who may benefit from participating in the TRAVELLERS group program. Groups are offered to up to 12 young people in Year 9 (first year secondary in Aotearoa/New Zealand – age 13-14 years). The name TRAVELLERS represents the metaphor “life as a journey” which involves negotiating the changes and challenges that life presents. Group sessions are interactive with the content focusing on empowerment and strength-building.

[email protected]

Mary Byrne, Ireland

Social, personal and health education has become a mandatory curriculum subject in Irish schools only in the last three years. Our research center, in collaboration with a regional health authority, has recently developed and evaluated a curriculum-based module promoting positive mental health for 15-18 year olds. The module consists of 13 sessions over two years and uses experiential learning techniques to address issues such as understandings of mental health, dealing with emotions (anger, conflict, rejection and depression) and sources of support for young people in distress (family and friends, as well as support services in the community). A number of implementation issues have arisen which are relevant to similar projects in other countries, such as consultation and partnership with stakeholders, teacher training, fidelity to program materials and selection of appropriate quality indicators.

[email protected]

Dóra Guðrun Guðmundsdóttir, Iceland

In 2000, an ex-service user came up with the idea of starting a project to promote mental health in Iceland. Geðrækt (The Icelandic Mental Health Promotion Project) was founded that year in cooperation with the University Hospital of Iceland, the Icelandic Mental Health Alliance and the Directorate of Health. The main goal of the project is to enhance mental health prevention and promotion throughout the entire society with education. The aim is to raise awareness of mental health, emphasizing that everybody possesses a form of mental health. A study made by Gallup in November 2002 showed that about 50% of 16-80 year olds had heard about “Geðrækt” and one third were aware of what mental health and mental health promotion is all about.

[email protected]

Chris Bale, United Kingdom

Zippy’s Friends is an international school-based mental health promotion program that develops the coping skills of young children. Unlike most programs, which are national or local in scope and focus on helping children with specific problems or risk factors, Zippy’s Friends was designed to be truly international and benefit children of all backgrounds and abilities. It has been piloted in Denmark and Lithuania and subjected to two rigorous scientific evaluations. The results are impressive and the program is now being made available internationally through a series of partnerships with educational authorities and agencies. It is currently running in Denmark, England, India and Lithuania, and is expected to be in nine countries by the end of 2004.

[email protected]

Teresita Garcia, Philippines

A case study of one school, Donum Dei Academy, exemplifies what works in a school in a developing country. To promote mental health, a school must be legally recognized by the government. The educational program(s) must be viable. The school personnel involved must be fully committed to the mission/vision of the institution. Donum Dei Academy is one of the primary models operating and promoting mental health in the Philippines. Donum Dei comes from the Latin term meaning Gift of God. Every child is God’s gift to society. It’s every educator’s task to discover and uncover the God given qualities.

[email protected]

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About

InterCAMHS :: About Us

InterCAMHS :: About Us

Vision

Intercamhs’ vision is that mental health will be addressed through collaborative interdisciplinary whole school approaches for all school community members across nations.

Our Guiding Principles are that:

  • The term ‘mental health’ should imply not only the consideration of mental illnesses and problems but also a positive state of emotional, social and cognitive well being in individuals, groups and communities.
  • Mental health is viewed from a holistic perspective, recognising the interconnectedness of the physical, spiritual, emotional and psychological, as well as the social environment of school, family and community.
  • In the school context, a coordinated ‘whole school approach’ to mental health teaching and learning is needed, linking curriculum to school culture and ethos, management and organisation and to partnerships with communities, service providers and families.
  • Respect and sensitivity to cultural diversity and different skills and values, needs and experiences underpin collaborative activities across school communities, local communities and nation states.
  • Work in mental health needs to: fully involve all participants in the process, including school staff, school students and parents; encourage genuine dialogue between parties; and foster a sense of empowerment and autonomy.
  • Addressing mental health through schools in a comprehensive way involves a full range of levels of intervention, from mental health promotion for everyone, to targeted prevention and early intervention.
  • Effective school mental health interventions involve interdisciplinary practice necessitating co-ordination between a wide range of agencies, both government and not for profit, where different perspectives, approaches and goals are respected.
  • Positive mental health supports school quality and effectiveness, including promotion of meaningful learning and teaching by students and staff.
  • As far as possible practice needs to build on ‘evidence based’ approaches, which involve appropriate use of a range of methods from both qualitative and quantitative research paradigms.

Intercamhs aims to:

  • Develop and adopt a common language of terms related to mental health in schools.
  • Build communication mechanisms between people interested or involved in school-based mental health in different countries.
  • Encourage dialogue, the sharing of lessons learned, collaborative activities and mutual support among people and programs in different countries.
  • Enhance interdisciplinary approaches to school-based health care.
  • Promote the advancement of a strategic research agenda and collaborative research among people and programs in different countries.
  • Foster the development of advocacy agendas, coalitions and policy improvements in areas vital to the advancement of mental health in schools.
  • Raise awareness of the mental health needs of youth and the value of school-based programs in helping youth, schools and communities achieve desired outcomes.
  • Stimulate increased funding and improved capacity to provide a full continuum of mental health promotion, early intervention and treatment services in schools.
Categories
About

InterCAMHS :: About Us

InterCAMHS :: About Us

Introduction to Intercamhs

What is it?

Intercamhs is an international network of agencies and individuals who believe that addressing mental health issues in schools is vitally important to the wellbeing of school community members.

What is its Vision?

Intercamhs’ vision is that mental health will be addressed through collaborative interdisciplinary whole school approaches for all school community members across nations.

What does it do?

Intercamhs brings together experience and expertise from all over the world with the aim of enhancing the wellbeing of children and young people.

It promotes the international exchange of ideas and experience and acts as a meeting place for a wide range of educationalists, mental health experts and other professionals interested in mental health.

Intercamhs aims to raise awareness of the mental health needs of children and young people and the ways in which service providers can meet their needs. It also aims to support parents and teachers in their actions to strengthen the health and well being of those in their care.

Does it focus on a particular aspect of mental health?

No. Intercamhs believes that mental health promotion, early intervention and treatment are all important. It works to strengthen these activities for all children of school age.

Click here to:

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Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

International Meeting Report

Forty three delegates from around the world gathered in Portland, Oregon, in October for Intercamhs’ first international meeting. The discussions served to highlight many of the most pressing issues in child and adolescent mental health worldwide.

Members’ presentations about their work covered a wide range of services and programmes – from a study of over-indulged children in Canada, to a mental health promotion programme for teenagers in New Zealand; from a mental health awareness campaign in Iceland, to concern about the mental health of schoolteachers in Germany. Click here to read a summary of all the presentations.

Seated from left: Michael Murray, Mark Weist – Board Liaison Officer, Louise Rowling – President, and Dóra Guðrun Guðmundsdóttir – Secretary

Standing from left: Elizabeth Moore – Project Associate, Pauline Dickinson, Mary Byrne, Leyla Ismayilova, Cheryl Vince Whitman, Peter Paulus, Chris Bale and Katherine Weare

Two of the key points to emerge from the meeting were the need for common language and key terms in mental health and the need for better exchange of information and more collaboration. These are two of the challenges that Intercamhs will tackle in 2004.

A full report of the meeting is being prepared and will be online soon.

The first Board meeting was also held in Portland, with 14 of the 16 members present. Again, a summary of the main decisions is being prepared and will be available shortly.

The Portland meeting was organized by the Center for School Mental Health Assistance (CSMHA) at the University of Maryland. Funding for both the International Meeting and the Board meeting was generously provided by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Copyright ©2003 Intercamhs and individual authors.

Please see copyright notice and disclaimer for details and also read our privacy statement .

Site by Millipedia

Categories
Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

InterCAMHS :: Events

Conference

The first Intercamhs conference will be held in Portland, Oregon, USA in October, immediately before the 8th National Conference organised by the Center for School Mental Health Assistance at the University of Maryland.

The Intercamhs conference will be on October 22 and the National Conference will follow on October 23-25. International delegates to the Intercamhs conference are being offered free registration for the National Conference.

Click here for more information.

Copyright ©2003 Intercamhs and individual authors.

Please see copyright notice and disclaimer for details and also read our privacy statement .

Site by Millipedia

Categories
International

InterCAMHS :: Membership Directory

Directory of Members

Here is a directory of Intercamhs’ members, sorted alphabetically by first names and countries of residence.

Australia

Abbie Patterson, Alison Goffin, Angela Davis, Ann Dadich, Ann Wignall, Ana Tonkin, Anna Zigterman, Anne Barrey, Anthony Critchley, Astrid Gates

Bernie Marshall, Bronwyn Morris, Bryan Simm

Carol Cayley, Charles Meekings, Cheryle Gatto, Chris Wigg, Clare Franklyn

Deanne Olsen, Debbi Cameron, Debra Parks, Dermot Casey, Di O’Malley

Garry Sloane, Grace Wilson, Grania McCudden, Gregory Phillips

Helen Stallman, Helen Broomhall

Ian McKenzi

Jacqueline Van Velsen, Jason Cheers, Jen Allen, Jeremy Hurley, John Daly, John Dillon, John Mullane, Judith Scott, Julie Edwards

Katrina-Jae Stair, Kerry Jarvis, Kim Lavin

Leanne Hancock, Leanne Parrott, Leanne Pethick, Lesley Hills, Lisa English, Liz Hammond, Louise Rowling

Malcolm Lewis, Marc Zweieger, Margaret Cook, Maria Marriner, Marion Shields, Michelle Azizi, Michelle Trudgen

Nancy Cronin

Paola Mason, Pat Saunders, Peta Matthewman, Peter Chown, Peter Law, Philip Armstrong, Philip Gosschalk, Philip Robinson

Rita Feros, Rob Law, Robert McAlpine

Sarah Dwyer, Sean Slade, Sue Bradshaw, Sue Clark, Sue Cooke, Sue Wilson

Tania Rotili, Tim Corcoran, Tracy Zilm

Azerbaijan

Leyla Ismayilova

Bangladesh

M. Shamsul Hazue Chowdhury

Brazil

Octovia M.C. Vargens

Canada

Annie Gringas

Brian Mishara

Gloria Benard

Jean-Pierre Valla

Margaret Clarke, Masood Zangeneh

Russell Balance

El Salvador

Raul Duran

Finland

Anne Konu

Germany

Michael Frese

Peter Paulus

Iceland

Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir

Ireland

John Lahif

Mary Byrne

Olive McGovern

Moldova

Elvira Nistreanu

Netherlands

Marion Rikken

MN. Clemens Hosman

Veroon Vermeer

New Zealand

Alison Taylor

Bice Awan

Jenny Munro

Liz Price

Mary Strang, Matiu TeHuki, Max Abbott

Nicky Harrall

Pauline Dickinson

Sarah Lee TeHuki

Rosemary Lines, Richard Egan, Rebekah Duthie

Tekani Kingi

Norway

Anita Rathore

Elin Jenny Sunde, Ellen Andriig

Philippines

Teresita G. Garcia

Poland

Krysatof Ostaszewski

Romania

Catalina Gherman

Russia

Ekaterina Burmistrova

Natalia Fedunina

Trinidad and Tobago

Marilyn Atherley

United Kingdom

Chris Bale, Christian Dunn

Gregor Henderson

Janice Omar

Katherine Weare

Michael Murray

Pam Sanchez, Paula Errington, Peter Farrell

Rachel Parker

Sharon Leighton

United States

Angel Roca, Anne Marie Glodich, Anne Mathews-Younes, Annette Johnson, Argin Hutchins

Bill Brook

Carl Walker, Celene Domitrovich, Cherlee Sherry, Cheryl Vince Whitman

David Pruitt, Debbie Nahom, Deborah McLean, Denise Kaercher, Diane Allenworth, Diane Oglesby

Elizabeth Mullett, Elizabeth Sykes, Elizabeth Moore, Elizabeth Valdez, Ellie Turner, Evelyn Tomaszewski

Fran Bardino

Gail Ritchie, George Thompson, Greg Greicius

Haydee Montenegro, Heather Ringeisen, Howard Adelman

Isadora Hare

James Koller, Jeff Anderson, Jenni Jennings, Jennifer Axelrod, Joanne Cashman ,John Zdencanovic

Kay Rietz

Lester Hunter, Linda Taylor, Louise Peloquin

Mark Burdick, Mark Weist, Maureen Black, Michael Faran, Michele Edwards

Nancy Lever

Pamela Cantor, Peg Dawson, Peter Whelley

Robert Schmidt, Rose Starr

Shane Jimerson, Shelagh Smith, Susanne Wichert, Sylvia Huntley

Tanya Bryant

Vicki Nishioka

Vietnam

Truong Trong Hoang

If you would like your name to be added to the directory, click here to find out how to become an Intercamhs member.

If you name is listed incorrectly, please let us know by clicking here

Copyright ©2003 Intercamhs and individual authors.

Please see copyright notice and disclaimer for details and also read our privacy statement .

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About

InterCAMHS :: Welcome

InterCAMHS :: Welcome

Latest

Click to read summaries of the presentations at our 2nd International Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand

Welcome to Intercamhs

Intercamhs is a new international alliance that aims to promote the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Already, we have 294 members from 35 countries and membership is growing rapidly. Intercamhs brings together a wide range of professionals from all over the world, each with their own expertise and experience.

On this website you can:

This website is new and is being expanded all the time, so bookmark it and come back soon.

Better still, join Intercamhs now.

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Newsletter

InterCAMHS :: News

InterCAMHS :: News

Newsletter

We publish an email newsletter and send it to members all over the world.

Click here to read:

If you would like more information about the newsletter, or if you would like to contribute an article to the next issue, click here to contact the editor.

If you have friends or colleagues who might like to join Intercamhs and receive our newsletters, click here to give us their names and contact addresses.

Copyright ©2003 Intercamhs and individual authors.

Please see copyright notice and disclaimer for details and also read our privacy statement .

Site by Millipedia

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Learn

InterCAMHS :: Members

InterCAMHS :: Members

Join Now

To join Intercamhs now, simply complete the following details.

We looking forward to welcoming you as a member of Intercamhs.

Copyright ©2003 Intercamhs and individual authors.

Please see copyright notice and disclaimer for details and also read our privacy statement .

Site by Millipedia