Show 14: Pediatric Mental Health

Mental health is how humans of all ages think, feel and act, and when there is something wrong, everyone deserves compassionate and competent care - especially children. In this program we ask: what mental health services does Alaska currently offer, how can families and children get connected with these services and how do we treat our youngest members of society who are suffering from mental or behavioral health issues?

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: To discuss these questions, KTD Host Shana Sheehy is joined by three guests.

• Mary Dallas Allen is an Assistant Professor at the UAA School of Social Work and researcher on the topic of children’s mental health.

• Dee Foster is the Director of Family Services at Anchorage Community Mental Health Services.

• Allen Blair is the Clinical Director and a counselor at Denali Family Services.

RESOURCES FROM THIS SHOW:

• UAA School of Social Work
• Anchorage Community Mental Health Services
• Denali Family Services
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration)
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study - from the CDC and Kaiser Permanente

FEATURED STORIES:

- Bringing kids home for treatment - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran reports on the Bring the Kids Home project which seeks to return to Alaska those children who are being treated for mental health issues out-of-state. [Full story]

- thread's early intervention training - As part of a larger continuum of early childhood mental health services, thread Alaska, in partnership with Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, is training childcare providers how to properly work with special needs children ages birth to 5 years. KTD Producer, Sarah Gonzales, spoke with thread’s CEO, Stephanie Berglund. [Full story]

- Dr. KTD - Our resident pediatrician, Dr. KTD, Michelle Laufer addresses your questions about pediatric mental health. [Full story]