Use the Family Support: Awareness Day 2016 Video Short (eight minutes) to start conversations about improving access to services and supports in your community. Your community could use the video as an opportunity to share information about children’s behavioral health services and supports in your community.

Suggested audiences for this video include:

• Families. Include families in your discussion who are new to systems of care, who want to learn about available children’s mental health services, or who are helping to build the new system of care grant community.
• Potential partners. Examples of these groups include schools, juvenile justice, faith-based organizations, service providers, and local government.

Discussion Questions

1. What are common signs that indicate a child or youth may need help? In your experience, how comfortable are parents and caregivers in your community in identifying the signs? Do they know what training is available to them?
2. What kind of barriers do you think parents and caregivers in our community might experience in identifying if their child or youth might have a mental health challenge?
3. How can families overcome these barriers?
4. What behavioral health services and supports are available in your community for children, youth, young adults, and families?
5. If you are a family member and need to find support from other family members or youth who have experienced mental health challenges, do you know where to go to find it?
6. Who are the potential partners in the community who could collaborate and support children and youth with mental health challenges? How can you engage potential partners in their system of care? 
7. If you would like to take on a family leadership role, do you know where to go to find this opportunity?