Objective B: Provide adequate and effective diagnosis and treatment for children and youth with mental and emotional disorders.

Discussion

The mental health services system for children and youth has, in recent years, focused attention on developing standards of care for mental health services in Alaska. The Division of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities convened a Quality Assurance Steering Committee with representatives of several agencies including the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, community mental health providers, Alaska Mental Health Board, Division of Public Health, University of Alaska, consumers, and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, to focus on and articulate treatment standards for mental health services for children and youth and adults. These standards need to be expanded to include best practices for mental health treatment based on national research. On the national level, the Center for Mental Health Services, National Institute of Health, professional organizations and major university research centers have reviewed services research to articulate best treatment practices for a variety of diagnoses and services for children and youth.

Actions

80. The Quality Assurance Committee or a similar multi-disciplinary group will review national research data to develop specific best practices for use in Alaska.

81. The Quality Assurance Committee will access technical assistance from the Center for Mental Health Services and other sources on best treatment practices and incorporate this information into a draft document.

82. The best practices draft document will be distributed to providers, consumers and managed care authorization agencies for review and comment.

83. Assertively provide mental health services as soon as children and youth have been identified as victims of emotional, physical or sexual abuse.

84. Provide training to care providers in diagnosis and treatment interventions for childhood disorders.
Responsible party (actions 1-5): Division of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities