June 2015 Highlights… In this issue, we look at ways to treat more children, via alternatives to inpatient programs and expansion of provider workforce. ✦ ✦ ✦ Keep Your Eye On… See pages 2–3 Role of parent training in treating disruptive behavior in children with autism Link between alcohol consumption in movies and alcohol problems in teens How parental support can lead to reduction in depression in children with sickle cell disease What’s New in Research… See pages 3–5 AAP opposes school drug tests; calls for counseling instead E-cigarette use by teens triples; health officials warn of nicotine’s dangers Guest Commentary Managed care, the legal system, and checklist medicine — By Sigalit Hoffman, M.D. See page 8 ✦ ✦ ✦ Free Parent Handout… Talking to your child about sex, sexuality, and health Alternatives to Hospitalization Integrating parenting practices into partial hospital treatment of children: Initial outcomes By Anne Walters, Ph.D., Marta Majczak, M.D., and Steven J. Barreto, Ph.D. Mental and behavioral health prob- lems in children are a growing and sig- nificant health issue in the United States, with estimates that one in five children have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. These issues affect children across all backgrounds and contexts, and are linked to poor outcomes in educational achieve- ment and in long-term family income, and most agree that effects of mental health problems over time in children are cumulative. Mental health impairment affects children’s health and behavior across all contexts: school, community, and home. At the same time, there are often significant barriers to receiving mental health services, in the form of lengthy wait lists and inadequate numbers of child trained clinicians. For example, in Rhode Island, “an estimated 34% of children who needed mental health treatment or counseling in the past 12 months did not receive it” (RI KIDS COUNT, 2012). These barriers to treatment in turn result in visits to local emergency departments, which can be costly, as well as admissions to inpatient programs for children who might not have needed that level of care had other options been available. For this reason, treatment providers have sought additional methods to provide services. Expanding the Workforce Infant mental health workforce diverse, requires training Professionals from a wide range of disciplines, such as child and early edu- cation providers, home visitors, and physical and occupational therapists, are in a position to work with families to pro- mote healthy social-emotional develop- ment, according to a new report released by Connecticut child and health profes- sionals who are developing a statewide system to build a skilled infant mental health workforce. The infant mental health field is com- posed of more than mental health cli- nicians, according to the report, “The Infant Mental Health Workforce: Key to Promoting the Healthy Social and Emotional Development of Children,” prepared by the Connecticut Associa- tion for Infant Mental Health and the Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) and released March 2. The report calls for a comprehensive early childhood mental health system to address the mental health of infants and toddlers, including promoting positive social and emotional development for all children, identifying and intervening early for those at risk, and treating those with more complex disorders, along with the professionals necessary to provide this full array of services and supports. Monthly reports on the problems of children and adolescents growing up Published in cooperation with Bradley Hospital See Hospitalization, page 5… See Workforce, page 7…