Assemblywoman Jenne took part in a roundtable discussion earlier this month in Watertown with New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan; several Office of Mental Health staff team members; representatives from Claxton-Hepburn Hospital, Samaritan Hospital and the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center; and officials from a host of agencies providing mental health services in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.
"The meeting was called to look at steps that could be taken to address the mental health treatment needs of children and youth in the North Country," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
"The Office of Mental Health was struggling with data that showed high utilization rates of mental health services for children and youth that are out of whack with utilization rates in other areas of the state," she added.
The assemblywoman said local providers and officials presented a rationale for the high utilization rates to the commissioner and state OMH staff.
"We also presented solutions that seem to be working in the region. It would be helpful for the state to offer greater flexibility to providers as they work to address the needs of patients and their families. We need to have a funding system so we are providing our younger patients with programs that offer far more services than just an appointment with a counselor," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She noted access is an issue for youth and children in need of mental health care in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.
"We have a lack of providers, and the providers we do have carry high caseloads. We don't have enough beds in the region for treatment or for respite care, which could help take pressure off hospital stays," according to Assemblywoman Jenne.
She said she shared the consensus of many providers at the roundtable that the high utilization rates for mental health services in the North Country is directly tied to the region's struggling economy.
"There was sort of an agreement that trauma, primarily linked to poverty, is driving our high mental health utilization rates. I think there was some consensus that we need to approach treatment from this angle," the assemblywoman noted.
Assemblywoman Jenne noted she has been working for the past few years with educators focused on that issue.
The Student Poverty/Trauma Initiative is a collaborative process designed by the Institute for Learning Centered Education and co-sponsored by the three BOCES districts that include Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. Assemblywoman Jenne secured $20,000 in state funding to move the program forward.
The initiative was piloted in the Copenhagen, Colton-Pierrepont and Tupper Lake school districts last year and has now expanded to include the Ogdensburg, Massena, Norwood-Norfolk and Gouverneur school districts. Three more North Country schools are scheduled to join the initiative during the current school year.
Donald Mesibov, founder and director of the Institute for Learning Centered Education, said the school districts are designing plans to engage and motivate students to learn despite the hardships of poverty and trauma.
The program is designed to provide best methods teaching practices to help educators reach students living in poverty as well as assist children and youth with adverse childhood experiences.
"I am convinced there is a need for all that interact with kids to be aware of these challenges. The Institute for Learning Centered Education's program is a way to spot and address needs early on," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She pointed out there is also a need to increase the availability of respite beds for children and youth with mental health issues in the North Country, particularly in St. Lawrence County.
"We know that treating kids and then sending them back to the same environment contributes to readmissions. I'm convinced additional investments in respite programs would allow kids and their families the time they need so treatment can be successful in the long term," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She said participants at the meeting with Office of Mental Health staff underscored the need to keep services in the North Country and to increase services in St. Lawrence County in a structured way to make a serious impact on reducing the current high utilization rates in the region.
"There are no simple or inexpensive solutions to addressing the needs of our kids with mental health treatment needs. But we know the costs will be far higher - both fiscally and on our society - if we don't address those needs now," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
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Assemblywoman Jenne noted she has been working for the past few years with educators focused on that issue.
The Student Poverty/Trauma Initiative is a collaborative process designed by the Institute for Learning Centered Education and co-sponsored by the three BOCES districts that include Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. Assemblywoman Jenne secured $20,000 in state funding to move the program forward.
The initiative was piloted in the Copenhagen, Colton-Pierrepont and Tupper Lake school districts last year and has now expanded to include the Ogdensburg, Massena, Norwood-Norfolk and Gouverneur school districts. Three more North Country schools are scheduled to join the initiative during the current school year.
Donald Mesibov, founder and director of the Institute for Learning Centered Education, said the school districts are designing plans to engage and motivate students to learn despite the hardships of poverty and trauma.
The program is designed to provide best methods teaching practices to help educators reach students living in poverty as well as assist children and youth with adverse childhood experiences.
"I am convinced there is a need for all that interact with kids to be aware of these challenges. The Institute for Learning Centered Education's program is a way to spot and address needs early on," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She pointed out there is also a need to increase the availability of respite beds for children and youth with mental health issues in the North Country, particularly in St. Lawrence County.
"We know that treating kids and then sending them back to the same environment contributes to readmissions. I'm convinced additional investments in respite programs would allow kids and their families the time they need so treatment can be successful in the long term," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She said participants at the meeting with Office of Mental Health staff underscored the need to keep services in the North Country and to increase services in St. Lawrence County in a structured way to make a serious impact on reducing the current high utilization rates in the region.
"There are no simple or inexpensive solutions to addressing the needs of our kids with mental health treatment needs. But we know the costs will be far higher - both fiscally and on our society - if we don't address those needs now," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
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Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne (r) and State Senator Patty Ritchie (l) listen as New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan discusses the challenges of providing mental health services to children and youth in the North Country.
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Mental health professionals from around Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties met this week in Watertown with New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan and several members of her team to discuss the high need for mental health services for children and youth in the region. State officials said utilization rates for services are much higher in the North Country than in other areas of the state.
