Community Care Hosts Conference on Behavioral Health Services for Children

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Developing comprehensive behavioral health services for children, youth, young adults and families will be the subject of the annual spring conference of Community Care, a nonprofit behavioral health managed care organization that is part of UPMC and based in Pittsburgh.

"Creating Hope: Developing Communities of Care for Children, Youth, Young Adults and Families," will put special emphasis on successful programs both regionally and nationally. Presenters will provide information for health care clinicians, families, and communities to promote positive behavioral health and to address children's behavioral health topics.  

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, more than 14 million American adolescents (or, roughly 1 in 5) have a mental health disorder.

"Behavioral health services for children, youth, young adults and families can be challenging, complex, and effective," said James Gavin, President of Community Care. "The development of comprehensive services is essential for managing behavioral health symptoms and for the well-being of individuals in the home, school and community."  

Marc Cherna, the director of Allegheny County Department of Human Services, will be one of two keynote speakers at the conference. He will discuss the success of many Allegheny County behavioral health initiatives and the continued growth of children and youth programs.

Lucille Eber, the Illinois State Director of Positive Behavior Support, will discuss emerging interagency school and community-based models that connect effective learning and behavior change with system-of-care principles.

Among the scheduled workshops are sessions on adolescent substance use, engaging families in interventions, leadership in service plans, and integrating care for foster children.

Continuing education credit is available for mental health professionals, national certified counselors, psychologists, social workers, and educators who attend the conference. The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 23, 2010, at the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. Tuition is $95 for behavioral health professionals. The conference is free for Community Care members and their families as well as medical residents and other students.

For registration information contact Karen Neal of Community Care at 412-454-8646, or e-mail her at [email protected].    

About Community Care:

Community Care, a provider-owned, federally tax-exempt, nonprofit behavioral health managed care organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, manages behavioral health benefits for members throughout Pennsylvania whose health insurance is sponsored through Medicaid and UPMC Health Plan's Medicare and commercial plans. Community Care is part of the Insurance Services Division of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, an $8 billion integrated health system. Community Care manages behavioral health services for approximately 600,000 members covered by Medical Assistance.

Community Care was founded in 1996 with a mission to provide accessible, high-quality, cost-effective, culturally sensitive behavioral health care. Community Care has been awarded "full" National Committee on Quality Assurance accreditation for its Medical Assistance product line, receiving the highest rating given in all applicable standards.

SOURCE UPMC Health Plan