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Resource
Referrals
BMHA maintains an extensive list of African American mental
health professionals who are sensitive to and appreciate
cultural
differences. To access this service, call the BMHA office at
410-338-BMHA (2642).
Group
Training and Consultation
BMHA provides individually designed training to enhance
service delivery to agencies whose target populations are culturally
diverse in order to maximize program outcomes.
Healthy
Families/Healthy Schools
This parental involvement and wellness Initiative is
designed to help improve caregivers’ understanding of the mental
health needs of children and their families. It is designed to
assist in improving the quality of life and improve family wellness
in and around our communities through education and training.
Through the use of mental health professionals
who have partnered with us, we are presenting a weekly series of
presentations to Baltimore City Elementary School teachers, parents,
caregivers and guardians on: Domestic Violence, Child
Development, Child Behavior and Discipline, Identification,
Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD In Children, Traumatic Stress
and Children, Anger Management, Building Self Esteem,
Substance Abuse, Child Safety (Home and School), Parents
and Children Learning Together, Depression and Bereavement,
Linkages to Social Support and Educational Services for Parents; and
Nutrition and its Impact on Wellness: Physical and Mental.
Each presentation is tailored to the school’s needs, based on their
request and held in the school or a community setting that best
meets the needs of the target audience.
African
American Outreach Project: AD/HD Speaker’s Bureau
Misdiagnosis, under-treatment and over-treatment of AD/HD
are common problems faced by children and adolescents in the African
American community. As many as one in five children will experience
emotional illness that will affect their behavior, mood or ability
to learn. Yet, few will receive treatment and in many
instances, AD/HD is misdiagnosed in African American children and
categorized as a behavioral issue. Parents and caregivers face a
myriad of challenges including stigma, lack of resources, lack of
coordination of care between providers, and lack of education about
AD/HD diagnosis and treatment. In addition, cultural and
ethnic differences are often poorly understood by primary care and
mental health providers, further complicating treatment.
The purpose of the African American Outreach
Project is to provide a series of community panel presentations to
provide information and education on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder in African American children and adolescents.
The audience for the Speaker’s Bureau are
parents and guardians of African American children and adolescents
with AD/HD; providers of services to children and adolescents with
AD/HD; community representatives; and all who have an interest in
gaining knowledge about AD/HD, diagnosis, treatment, mental health
and community services.
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