PALS Meeting Minutes
November 20, 2024 9:30 a.m.
Virtual Meeting using Zoom
Open Forum
Open Forum is an opportunity for participants to come together and discuss a variety of topics, offer resources, and ask questions related to special education.
Mental Health Help For All
We've discussed the topic of mental health in past meetings. Today we discussed the mental health of children in general; those in our families with challenges, disabilities, and chronic illness, and siblings of children who require additional time and care of parents. Our focus was on sharing local organizations that specialize in helping these families in need. We also asked two important questions:
• How can a child's mental health impact their school work and what parents can do to help?
It is important to remember that a 504 Plan is available to students who are impacted by (in this case) a mental health crisis that limits one or more of the student's major life activities.
Additionally, such a student may find it difficult to focus and progress academically in a regular classroom setting. By qualifying for Special Education services, they would be entitled to an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Students with such mental health issues may be allowed extra time to complete projects or homework. Another possibility might be to be allowed to take exams or to read in a separate classroom with fewer distractions. There are many ways a student with a mental health issue could benefit from an IEP or 504 Plan.
Articles of Interest:
• What happens to the mental health records of students?
We discussed a school requesting to speak with a student's outside mental health therapist; i.e., Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Licensed Social Worker and what happens to those student records. We located the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health's Webpage on Confidentiality where it states:
The (Pennsylvania) Public School Code, at 24 P.S. Section 1409, states that
all health records established and maintained pursuant to the requirements of the School Code shall be confidential, and their contents may be divulged only when necessary for the health of the child or at the request of the parent or guardian to a physician.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records.
The student health record is included in the definition of an education record. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
• Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents (CTSCA)
Allegheny Health Network (AHN), offers expertise in evaluating and treating children who have experienced traumatic life events or live with post-traumatic stress disorder. Traumatic events can include many different things; some of which we may not realize right away.
These can be:
Abuse, such as neglect, and psychological, physical, and sexual harm
Natural disasters
Violence in the home, school, or community
Serious accidents or illness in themselves or a loved one
Refugee or war experiences, including post-traumatic stress disorder in a parent
Losing a loved one
Children experience traumatic events differently and symptoms may include:
Re-experiencing trauma through dreams, play, or behavior
Avoiding people, places, and events that remind them of the trauma
Refusing to talk about the traumatic event
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Feeling sadness, anger, fear, or anxiety related to the trauma
Having difficulty in school
Fighting with family members
Struggling with self-care
Contact:
(412) 330-4328
• Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s new Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic, located at UPMC Children’s main hospital campus in Lawrenceville, offers a welcoming and comfortable environment for children and adolescents up to age 18 who are dealing with a variety of mental health concerns.
Reasons to seek care at UPMC's Children's Hospital Pittsburgh Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic:
Anxiety or stress
Depression
Difficulty focusing
Difficulty sleeping
Isolation
Lack of interest in family or social activities
Loss of appetite
Loss or grief
Panic attacks
Relationship challenges
School avoidance
Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-injury
Services Available
• Comprehensive behavioral health assessments.
• One-time therapeutic interventions.
• Coordination of care with the child’s existing care team including their pediatrician, school, or other providers.
• Referrals to other services or resources in the community for further or continued care
Please Note: The Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic does not replace Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) and is not appropriate for children who might need to be hospitalized. Individuals who are experiencing an extreme mental health crisis are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention at PES in UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital or at the nearest emergency department.
Contact:
4401 Penn Ave.
Floor 3
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
(412) 864-8136
Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 5 to 9 p.m. and Sat.: Noon to 4 p.m.
Closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Park in the Penn Garage and take the Grape Elevators to the third floor.
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) offers immediate treatment of mental health crisis 24 hours a day for people of all ages.
UPMC offers a safe and secure treatment setting, including a separate area for child and adolescent patient. Each patient meets with a team of specialty trained physicians, nurses, and clinicians who are committed to providing the best emergency care. A doctor's referal is NOT required.
Mental Health Emergency Services at PES include:
Evaluations for psychiatric or substance abuse conditions
Walk-in crisis therapy
Inpatient admission
Referral to drug and alcohol programs
Referral to behavioral health treatment
Contact:
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-624-1000 or toll-free 1-877-624-4100
• resolve Crisis Services
Crisis intervention and avoiding the need for hospitalization are at the heart of resolve Crisis Services. Anyone who lives in Allegheny County can access its services — available 24/7 365 — regardless of ability to pay or type of crisis.
Programs include:
Phone counseling
Mobile crisis unit
Walk-in center
Residential services
Child and adolescent crisis team intervention.
Child and Adolescent Crisis Team Intervention Services is part of resolve Crisis Services and provides crisis intervention and supplementary support in the home, school, and community to children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral issues. The program also provides support to children and adolescents who have been identified as being at high risk for psychiatric hospitalization or out-of-home placement. Crisis and support services are free to all children and adolescents who are residents of Allegheny County. For more information, call the Child and Adolescent Crisis Team Intervention Services intake line at 412-864-5065 (non-crisis only, if your child is in crisis, please call 1-888-796-8226).
Contact:
Walk-In Crisis Center: 333 North Braddock Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15208
24-Hour Hotline 1-888-7-YOU-CAN (796-8226)
Minds of All Kinds
We were introduced to a local support group, Minds of All Kinds, a non-profit organization made up of parents and caregivers who have children on the autism spectrum. The group's mission is to create social events in a fun and safe environment for these individuals and their families. The goal is to connect with as many families in our autism community as possible and to connect with other special needs organizations to provide these families the resources they need.Â
PALS November Family Meet-Up
Dana Walker hosted an art party during our Family Meet-Up on November 9, 2024 at the Sharpsburg Community Library. Area parents, kids, and sibs came together to enjoy a morning of art and community, filled with just about every craft under the sun, including shaving cream! Fun was had by all!
PALS December Family Meet-up
Join in on the fun Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 10:00am–12:00pm at the Sharpsburg Community Library when we welcome Lewis the therapy dog and his handler. Enjoy the chance to meet a therapy dog, learn about their important jobs, enjoy reading a book to Lewis or participate in a fun art activity. We'll bring the activities, you bring your kids, sibs, and friends! This is a great opportunity to meet other families in your community and learn more about PALS. This is a free event!
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Next Meeting: December 18, 2024 9:30 a.m. Virtual Meeting using Zoom.
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