I chose mental health as my public health topic because of the increasing number of children in Head Start with significant behavioral concerns. SAMHSA is the federal government's agency on mental health and addiction and is a great resource of free materials and publications. I chose a pamphlet on providing mental health services to members of the American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Since the U.S. is a melting pot of different cultures, it is important to understand the value systems of each group in order to design effective mental health systems. As with any intervention, early childhood educators must understand the impact cultural beliefs have on our willingness to access services.
I find the stigma that is attached to mental health treatment is the biggest barrier to accessing services, both in the United States and other countries. We should develop our cultural competencies to better serve families but we must also address the feelings of shame or failure that may accompany mental health services. When I approach parents about their child's challenging behavior, I always spend a portion of the meeting discussing the parent's feelings about treatment. This allows me to better understand the parent's concerns while educating them on the benefits of mental wellness.
http://store.samhsa.gov/product/American-Indian-and-Alaska-Native-Culture-Card/SMA08-4354
This is such an awesome perspective and so true! In fact when I was researching birthing in other countries the main complaint that the asian women in Australia had was the insensitivity and ignorance of the hospital staff towards their customs and desires.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that since many of us are not accustomed to working with "non-western" cultures we sometimes forget that children and their families come with their own cultural norms and it not up to us to change them to fit into our mold but to accomodate them as much as possible without sacrificing the standards and purpose of our program.
I have very limited experience with mental health issues from an early childhood perspective but even from a behavioral context, I agree with your recognition of the validity and importance of parental involvement.