Letter from the PRF Chair

Greetings PRA members and friends –

As always, I hope that this letter finds you well. For many of us, the fall brings the return to school either for ourselves as educators or perhaps for our children and other family members. Yet once again, we find ourselves recovering from a shooting at an educational institution. Whether it is a grade school in Connecticut or a community college in Oregon, all of us are touched in some way by this violence in our communities. And along with it, come accusations of the mental health and stability of the person committing the horrible shooting. In only a few cases, people go further to admit that shrinking public budgets and austere state and local mental health resources force cuts to the services and supports that may prevent these tragedies. There is even discussion of more realistic firearms policies and monitoring.

As President Obama noted, we are desensitized to the effects these events have on all of us, particularly on children and youth across the country. What’s missing for me is a balanced dialogue on the continued impact of violence in our communities and most likely at our schools – in educational settings at every level. These are settings where children and youth are developing their lives and talents – settings that should be safe zones. Some divert attention to the need for better weapons legislation while others turn up the volume on stigma of psychiatric disabilities. This is our opportunity to add to this conversation by advocating for the expansion of children’s mental health services and broader implementation of psychiatric rehabilitation services for youth and emerging adults.

Many in our field are leading the charge with cutting edge research on this population – including Dr. Mary Ann  Davis and the team at the Transitions Research and Training Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (http://labs.umassmed.edu/transitionsRTC/index.htm#sthash.NQNy7IeP.dpbs),state-of-the-science clinical programs, such as Emerge at Thresholds in Chicago, IL (http://www.thresholds.org/our-work/programs/emerge/), and campus mental health initiatives like those from the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University (http://cpr.bu.edu/living-well/services/college-mental-health-services), among others. To support and enhance the skills and expertise of our own workforce, PRA/PRF have developed strong training and education programs through our Academy, as well as in the launching of the Child and Family Resiliency Practitioner (CFRP) credential with the support of our Commission.

As the conversation continues, and we weigh all the evidence surrounding tragic events like the shooting in Roseburg, Oregon, what will never change is the need to support children and young people as they develop into adults. What also should never change is our commitment to prevent violence in all forms. I am hopeful that as a society we will continue to promote ways for our education institutions to be safe havens, particularly for our youngest citizens. I also am grateful to know that our association will have played a fundamental role in preparing the workforce to address their needs, no matter when in life they call upon us. Thank you for all you do every day to promote recovery and inclusion of all individuals.