NAMI NEW JERSEY
RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN

 EDUCATING THE EDUCATORS

Educating the Educators (ETE) is a program developed by NAMI NEW JERSEY to enlighten/inform educators about mental illness and present practical tools to help motivate children with social and emotional disorders. Most children with these disorders are bright and creative. Many are gifted with extraordinary talents waiting to be explored. But they are often hindered by the exhaustion of the constant struggle to cope with the effects of their disorder.  » more

 EVERY MIND MATTERS

"Every Mind Matters" (EMM) is a mental illness education program targeted to children in Grades 5-9. This program is designed to teach children the importance of taking care of their mental health, as well as their physical health. EMM explains the meaning of stigma and how we can stamp out stigma related to persons with disabilities. The program also teaches about famous people who have made great contributions to our society, despite their disabilities.  » more

 NAMI BASICS

NAMI Basics is the new signature education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years. All instruction and course materials are free to class participants.  » more

 PERFORMCARE - New Jersey Children’s System of Care: 1-877-652-7624

PerformCare is the statewide Contracted System Administrator (CSA) for the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services (DCBHS). As the CSA, PerformCare is committed to getting children, youth, young adults and their family/caregivers the services that they need at the right time, and in the right place. Hours of Operation: 24 Hours a Day 7 Days a Week. For assistance please contact PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624.

 NEW JERSEY ALLIANCE OF FAMILY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS (FSO)

New Jersey Alliance of Family Support Organizations (FSO) are family-led, community-based non-profit agencies whose mission is to provide support, advocacy, and education to families and caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral and mental health needs. To find a FSO nearest to you, visit http://www.state.nj.us/dcf/behavioral/help/family.html.

 BRIGHT FUTURES FOR KIDS - A free support and education group for children ages 4-12

 AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA

ASA is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated to autism in the world. Today, more than 100,000 members and supporters are connected through a working network of over 150 chapters nationwide. ASA is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by individuals with autism, their families and the professionals with whom they interact. For more information on autism or ASA, visit www.autism-society.org or call 1.800.3AUTISM (1.800.328.8476). 
 

 PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS FOR CHILDREN

According to Darcy E. Gruttadaro, JD, Editor-in-Chief of NAMI Beginnings, who recently reviewed "Psychiatric Medications for Children" by Mark Perrin, MD in NAMI Beginnings (Summer 2006, Issue 8), this book is a terrific resource for families. One that parents and caregivers of children living with mental illnesses should have readily available as they contemplate the appropriateness of psychiatric medications for their child. It walks parents and caregivers thoughtfully through the complex issues that families face when medication is recommended as part of a treatment plan.

Dr. Perrin covers the important questions that most families struggle with like "should my child be on medication" and "what, if any, are the effects of medication on the development of a child's brain… and what are the possible long term consequences?"

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The book removes much of the mystery by describing the part of the brain that specific medications target and the effect that they have on the function of the brain. The book outlines the medications used for the most common childhood mental illnesses, the side effects associated with each of the medications, monitoring that should be done when using the medications, warnings associated with the medications, and practical additional facts included in the "what else you need to know" category.

This family-friendly and practical book will lead to families making better informed treatment decisions for their child. It comes highly recommended as an effective resource for families and professionals that work with children with mental illnesses.

A recent interview with Dr. Perrin appeared in the Middlesex Sentinel:

Mark Perrin, M.D. Addressed Mental Health Care for Children
By Jennifer Amato, Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - A seminar discussing psychiatric treatments for children with mental illness was recently presented by Mark Perrin, MD at the Family Support Organization of Middlesex County. 

Perrin specializes in internal medicine, but has two children who have been treated for mental illness. He is a member of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, the chairman of the Warren County Mental Health Board for the past 15 years and has been president of the New Jersey State affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for the past five years.

His lecture, "Your Child's Treatment: What You Need to Know," was based on a book he published about one year ago titled "Psychiatric Medications for Children." He touched on the changes needed to the psychiatric health-care system and what parents need to know when treating their children.

"I'm trying to help parents who are really trying to help their children," he said.

Perrin said that the mental health system is broken and that there are very few child and adolescent psychiatrists available. The future doctors must undergo 10 years of schooling before being able to practice, and most usually choose a different route so they can pay off their educational loans quicker.

Also, insurance companies usually require that a child visits with a primary care doctor and after failed medication, a psychologist can be referred. At that point a psychiatrist is called in, when throughout the entire process medication may not have even been the proper treatment.

An interplay with the pharmaceutical industry and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also causes problems, because there are too few researchers, too many lobbyists and disagreements in between, he said.

"The pharmaceutical industry is at fault for not reporting all of the side effects to the FDA ... and the FDA gets heckled up and puts a black box around medication, so parents won't want to give the medication to their children," Perrin said of the fear surrounding drugs such as seratonin uptake inhibitors and antidepressants.

Although these potent medications do exist, they can be successful when monitored correctly, according to Perrin. The doctor said that instead of appointments being made every six weeks, a child should be checked once a week for four to six weeks by their physician.

"You wouldn't see a heart patient in one month. You would look for effects in a week to 10 days," Perrin said.

As a result, Perrin said that parents must bear the responsibility of caring for their children. "Because there are so many problems with the system, my message to parents is that you really have to be involved. ... You really need to be strong in terms of advocacy ... and feel empowered because you're the one responsible for your child. You have the primary responsibility for your child and no one can take that away from you and no one should take that away from you," he said.

His book, which was given to everyone who attended the seminar, focuses on alleviating the "mystery box" of patients believing only their professional doctors can make decisions about treatment. He considers himself, as a practicing physician for 40 years, a "consultant" who offers advice to his patients, but they themselves have the power to affect their health concerns.

"I can't make people exercise, I can't make the patient eat the right things, I can't make the patient take their medication. They have to be empowered to that," Perrin said of his cardiac patients, while relating the situation to parents dealing with their mentally ill children. "You have to empower parents to take charge because they can't trust the system. They have to step up to the plate. And that's true in any practice of medicine."
 

NAMI NEW JERSEY is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families who are affected by mental illness.