Child & Family Mental Health: Re-empowering

FamiliesFrank C. Sacco, Ph.D.

Community Services InstituteSpringfield & Boston, Massachusetts

www.communityserv.com

Mental Health Areas in US Practice

Populations Served• Serious and Chronic Mental Illness• Developmental Disability• Child and Family• Geriatric• Substance AbuseSettings• Institutional• Residential• Community

Child and Family Mental Health

Populations Served

• Child Welfare• Juvenile Justice• Special Education• Failure to Launch: Homelessness, IncarcerationServices• Clinic-based therapy, Psychiatry, Psychological Assessment• Home and community based therapy• Psychological Assessment• Therapeutic Mentoring

The Broken Family

• 3 Generational Structures• Grandparent immigrated/migrated• Parents addicted, trapped in DV, homeless, incarcerated• Children in Child Welfare/Juvenile Justice

• Impact on Children• Absent consistent male model• Inconsistent maternal love• Invasion of predatory adult behavior• Lack of social skill, empathy, and self control

The Broken System

• Punishment of Human Weakness• Safety over Common Sense in Child Welfare and End of Life• Community loses Pride• Schools Become Isolated and Underperform• Opportunity is Blocked for Meaningful Vocation

Acculturation Without Immigration

• The Puerto Rican experience• Southern African American Migration• Caucasian, Rural Industrial

• Reason for Migration• Escape Violence (family or state)• Survive poverty