If your child is struggling with their mental health, or maybe just going through something difficult, as a parent, you want to help. But sometimes the hardest part is simply knowing where to start.
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A new Miami-Dade initiative is trying to make that process easier for families.
Who should you call? Does your child need a doctor or a counselor? And where do you find the right professional?
The new Children’s Mental Health Resource Guide and Provider Network is designed to help answer those questions. The 16-page directory helps families understand what type of support they may need and where to find it, including free and low-cost options.
The guide was created in partnership with the Miami-Dade Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Children’s Commission and the Community Services Department, with the goal of connecting families who need help with professionals who can provide it.
Dr. Christine Hughes, executive director of the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health, said one of the biggest challenges families face isn’t necessarily a lack of resources, it’s knowing where to find them.
“It’s really important because one of the biggest barriers we hear from families is that they just don’t know where to turn, and we know that in Miami-Dade County there are lots of resources,” Hughes said.
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Hughes also stressed that support may need to begin much earlier than many parents realize. Decades of research have shown that early experiences and relationships can shape a child’s development, making support during those early years especially important.
“A child going through a scary or traumatic experience without any support afterwards from those important caregivers can lead to some negative developmental outcomes,” Hughes said. “So we want to prevent that.”
The guide is designed to help families identify appropriate resources by breaking down providers by age group and type of service.
And it isn’t only for parents. The resource is also designed for pediatricians, teachers and other professionals who may be among the first to recognize that a child needs additional support. The goal is to give those professionals a place to turn when they need to refer a family for care.
The Children’s Mental Health Resource Guide and Provider Network is available through this QR Code, attached below:
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