Guide to Treatment for Children With Mental Health Needs - Guide to Help Children With Mental Health Needs

Written by SAMHSA

What to ask

• How do I review and get copies of my child's and family's records?
• How is my child's and family's privacy protected, and who has access to confidential records?
• How do I get help exercising my rights—especially if I want to file a complaint?

What you can expect

• Schools and agencies will give you a guide that explains all of your rights. The guide should be in the language you understand best, or a professional or advocate who speaks your language can interpret and explain it to you.
• You will be told details of what confidential information will be disclosed to others and under what circumstances. Make sure you review information before giving permission for anything to be released to another school, provider, or agency.

  advertisement

• You can exercise any and all of your rights without punishment in any form. If you experience otherwise, seek help from an organized advocacy group or family-run organization.
• Expect to be treated with courtesy, consideration, and respect. See the resource list in this guide (p. 24) to assist in identifying a family-run support organization.

What you can do

• Get to know and understand your rights and all the terms or conditions that apply to the services your child and family are using.
• Read everything carefully. Be sure that you understand and really do agree with anything that you are given before you sign it.
• Remember that although you may be under a great deal of stress, you are your child's best advocate. Clearly, you should listen to the advice of others on your service planning team who know something about your child's needs. Ultimately, you must decide what help is needed, where you want to go for it, and when and how often you need to have a service.
• Take control of the flow of information about your child and family. Carefully consider what reports go to which person, agency, school, and so forth. Think about this before you sign permission for information to be collected or given out.
• Resolve disputes promptly. If you disagree with a decision, speak first to the person most immediately involved. If that doesn't solve the problem, speak to your service coordinator or the provider's supervisor before you file a complaint.
• Request help from advocates who know the rules, understand the system of care, and have experience with the providers who are working with you and your family.

Glossary

Appeal process: These are the steps you must follow to get a decision about services reviewed and changed. Usually this process involves proving why the decision was wrong or how it will harm your child and family. Often, you can appeal to a higher level if the first appeal does not get the result you want. You should be given information about the appeal process when you first start getting services. You should learn how to make an appeal and how to get help doing so.

Eligibility criteria: These are the admission criteria or the basis on which children and families are allowed to get services from an agency or program. These criteria usually include age, disability, and income. They also can include where you live, whether your child is male or female, what kind of medical insurance you have, or what other kinds of problems your family is managing.

Family-driven: A family-driven system of care gives priority to family and youth voices in making decisions. Family-driven systems of care actively demonstrate their partnerships with all families and youth by sharing power, resources, authority, and control with them. Family-driven systems of care ensure that families and youth have access to sound professional expertise so they have good information on which to base the choices they make.

Initial referral or Intake: This is the process an agency or program uses first to find out about your child and family, and to determine your eligibility for services.

Parent advocate: This is an individual who has been trained to help other families get the kinds of services and supports they need and want. Parent advocates usually are family members who have raised a child with a behavioral or emotional problem and have worked with the system of care and many of the agencies and providers in your community.

Respite care: This is a service that gives your family a short break—relief—when someone else temporarily takes care of your child for a few hours or a few days. Respite care can be provided in your home, at the respite care provider's home, or at a special respite care facility.