GUAM IDENTIFIES FAMILIES TERRIFIC STRENGTH, Inc

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GUAM IDENTIFIES FAMILIES TERRIFIC STRENGTH, Inc
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What is a Statewide Family Network?

• Statewide Family Networks are funded through
  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
  grant dollars to transform the mental health
  service delivery system into one that is youth
  and family-driven by implementing strategies to
  produce changes through youth and family members,
  mental health care providers, and mental health
  care policy and program decision-makers.

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Importance

• 4 million youth suffer from a major mental
  illness. U.S. Surgeon Generals Report, 1999
  
• One in ten children and adolescents has a mental
  illness severe enough to cause some level of
  impairment. Yet, only about one in five of them
  receive mental health services in any given year.
  U.S. Surgeon Generals Conference on Childrens
  Mental Health, 2000
• Among children ages 9-17, there are one or two
  with serious emotional problems in virtually
  every classroom in the country. Presidents New
  Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2002

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State Statistics
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Our Grant Focus

• We have had family support group meetings and
  planning meetings at the resource center
  
• We are in the process of setting up and utilizing
  conference call capabilities for families to be
  able to call from their homes for group telephone
  support and trainings so that transportation and
  child care are not barriers to them connecting
  with others.

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Accomplishments

• Please Note We were not able to have access to
  the funding until the middle of January because
  the local bank and funder we not able to
  communicate with each other this delayed the
  process of down loading money and hiring staff to
  fulfill tasks.

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Our Partners

• We partner with I Famaguon-ta Guams System of
  Care where the bulk of our families come from.
  
• We partner with the Mangilao village Mayor to use
  the facilities for a family resource center at
  no cost
  
• We partner with the Parent Information Resource
  Center for families to access their computers
  and support for educational needs for their
  children and other resource info as needed
• We are in the process of partnering with the
  Dept of Administration, the office of the
  Governor and Dept of Public Health to access 3
  houses for at no cost for rent to support family
  activities because the grant will be able to fund
  necessary needs to compliment this
  partnership.
• We partner with island girl power to access their
  facility for meetings.
  
• We partner with Guams Positive Parents Together
  Inc. for outreach and education ad grant writing
  to increase the awareness of children with
  special health needs.
• We partner with PROA (people reaching out
  advocating for individuals with disabilities) to
  educate and increase the awareness of transition
  aged youth and adults employment, housing and
  transportation needs both at the legislature and
  in the community. (Guam only allows 160 per
  month to meet their needs)
• We partner with the Guams JJ Judge and JJ police
  for training and sharing of information to create
  awareness on the special needs of our youth and
  children

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Next Steps
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Contact Information
Guam Identifies Families Terrific Strengths Inc.

671- 477-5345 guamfamilyleader_at_hotmail.com