Olympia -- The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training (WIMIRT) will host a one-day Community Forum on children’s mental health services on November 15 in Tukwila.

Parents, children, educators, providers, and other interested stakeholders are invited to attend and share ideas and experiences in Washington state. The division is expanding and retooling children’s mental health services under legislation passed last spring.

The Children’s Mental Health Bill (2SHB 1088) directs DSHS to:

• Develop outcome-based performance measures to reinforce evidence-based practices.
• Prepare recommendations to upgrade children's mental health benefit package.
• Review use of psychiatric drugs in children under five and develop safeguards.
• Find ways to improve and speed coverage for youth in juvenile rehabilitation institutions.
• Investigate ways to support better diagnosis and treatment by primary care providers.
• Increase the number of providers eligible to provide services to Medicaid children.

The forum will be held on Thursday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree at SouthCenter, 16500 SouthCenter Parkway, Tukwila.

For more information and registration materials, please contact Diane Harrison at (253) 756-2741 or pearsond@u.washington.edu

TO JOIN AN E-MAIL GROUP: DSHS and WIMERT maintain a special e-mail distribution list for parents and other stakeholders concerned about children's mental health services. For more information or to have your e-mail address added to the list, please e-mail Diane Harrison at pearsond@u.washington.edu

FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND, CONTACT: Jim Stevenson, Communications Director, HRSA, DSHS, 360-902-7604 (Pager: 360-971-4067).