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| Children’s Mental Health Pilot Project calls on lawyers, police officers, probation and court staff |
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April 10, 2006 - In partnership with Health Law Advocates (HLA) and the Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. (Y.O.U, Inc.), a new Children’s Mental Health Pilot Project in the Dudley Juvenile Court through grants from the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation will be holding a free training for attorneys, according to Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge). “Individuals should take advantage of the free trainings offered by Health Law Advocates and Y.O.U, Inc.,” said Senator Moore. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to learn about the different resources available to children with mental health issues and to better provide services to them.” HLA and Y.O.U., Inc will host the first of these free trainings on April 19, 2006, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Dudley Juvenile Court located on West Main Street in Dudley, Massachusetts. The training is free but pre-registration is required. Interested attorneys may register by contacting Laurie Martinelli, Executive Director of HLA, by email at martinel@hla-inc.org or by phone at 617-338-4241 x. 2983. This training session is designed to educate attorneys practicing in the Juvenile Court who need to know their client’s rights to mental health services. Presenters include: Judge Luis Perez, Dudley Juvenile Court; Ann Toomey-Doane, Y.O.U., Inc; Laurie Martinelli and Rebecca Rodman of HLA. “Access to mental health services for children can be a major barrier,” said Laurie Martinelli, Executive Director of HLA. “We hope this program will start to eliminate these barriers by educating attorneys, agency personnel, parents and others about children’s “rights” to receive mental health services.” Future trainings will target school and law enforcement personnel, mental health providers, case workers from DYS and DSS, parents, lawyers and other advocates. The trainings will address such issues as MassHealth coverage or mental health services, the role of the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, and children’s rights under the Massachusetts Mental Health Parity Law when private insurance is involved, and mental health resources available in the area. For more information on other events, log onto www.senatormoore.com. |
