Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111029

Mickey Kander, MSW, MPH, Office of Maternal and Child Health, Washington State Department of Health, PO Box 47880, Olympia, WA 98504, 360.236.3523, mickey.kander@doh.wa.gov

Acknowledging mental health as an area of substantial need in the Washington State maternal and child population due to implications for quality of life, morbidity and mortality was easily recognized by the State's Department of Health (DOH.) In light of this recognition, identifying the contributions that the public health professionals can make in the mental health arena, a field traditionally overseen by social service agencies, was a difficult task. To address mental health in the context of public health practice, the Washington State Office of Maternal and Child Health (OMCH) initiated a statewide children's mental health needs assessment process in September 2004. To carry out the assessment, OMCH: 1) completed a comprehensive literature review of children's mental health, 2) developed a framework for completing the needs assessment, 3) collected and analyzed various data sources relevant to mental health, and 4) identified and interviewed key informants who were able to describe the state's capacity to address the issue of children's mental health. This presentation outlines the components of the needs assessment, the difficulties and strengths encountered while undergoing the process, and the project outcomes, including the role of public health community. Participants will be taught about mental health data sources, and the use of data in the assessment framework. Lessons learned during Washington mental health needs assessment will also be shared with participants to assist them in developing assessment projects in their own communities.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to

• identify a role for the public health community in the mental health continuum of care,
• describe the framework for planning a statewide mental health needs assessment,
• articulate the process for completing a statewide mental health needs assessment, and define the lessons learned from the Washington State needs assessment example.

Keywords: Mental Health, Needs Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.