NR554 Week 2 Discussion, Applied Change Implementation

Applied Change Implementation NAME Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 554: Nurse Leader and Healthcare Policy DATE Identify a socially visible healthcare issue that you would like to see developed into a healthcare policy. It can be an issue that you are aware of through the course textbook, literature, peers, or through experiences with other healthcare systems. What change strategy could be developed to present to leaders within your healthcare organization? Applied Change Implementation Mental health conditions are not absent among children and teens. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “1 in 5 live with a mental health condition—half develop the condition by age 14 and three quarters by age 24” (n.d.). The current health care system does not meet the needs of children and teens with mental health disorders due to a lack of pediatric mental health providers. There are serious shortages of pediatric subspecialists and child mental health providers in our school systems. These specialists provide essential services to children and adolescents with special mental and physical health care needs. These shortages lead to decreased utilization of needed treatment, long wait times, and long distances traveled to care. If child mental health providers were placed in schools they can act as a liaison between students, guardians, teachers, and external mental health resources. The healthcare policy priority I’m advocating for is the presence of school-based child psychologists, social workers, and counselors at public schools to both provide initial treatment for students who experience mental illnesses and act as a liaison between students, guardians, teachers, and external mental health resources. The Student Support Act of 2015 (H.R. 2375) was introduced in the 114th Congress by Congresswoman Barbara Lee on May 15, 2015. The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education but was not enacted (Civic Impulse, n.d.). On December 1, 2017, I meet with Nick Ciofani, District Director for Congressman David Joyce, 14th District of Ohio to advocate for policies similar to H.R. 2375 and the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 (S. 2680) to addresses the need for more qualified, culturally-competent mental health professionals and reauthorize grants to increase training of mental health professionals. The best approach to implementing school-based child mental health providers in elementary and high schools is to utilize Kurt Lewin’s 3-step process (Unfreeze-Change/Movement-Refreeze). The first stage is identifying the need to place school-based child mental health providers in elementary and high schools. The second stage involves creating a plan of action to increase educational grants and funding increased funding for child psychologists and other mental health providers; thus, increasing the number of mental health providers in public schools. The final stage involves implementing qualified mental health providers in public schools and reevaluating for necessary changes. Stakeholders involved include school-aged children, teachers, parents, child psychologist and other mental health providers, mental health coalitions, and policy-makers at the local, state, and national levels. I’m dedicated to increasing community awareness about mental health disorders, promoting community understanding and acceptance of people suffering from mental health illnesses, educating stakeholders and decision makers on the mental health needs of our youth, and advocating for effective policies and programs that improve the lives and youth at the state and local levels. References Civic Impulse. (n.d). H.R. 2375 (114th): Student Support Act. Retrieved from National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d). Teens & young adults. Retrieved from Professor Response to Post: Carole, Thank you for your passion! I completely support your position. There are several school --based clinics in our area. Having a licensed child clinical social worker based there will be a first step! I am curious whether working with your state will be more expedient given that your stakeholders can support you with organized efforts to create a policy that fits your state needs. Your thoughts? Another possibility, would be working with providers and or colleges that train providers to pilot a project in one of your schools with high prevalence of children with mental health disorders. There may be opportunities where providers in private practice may be enrolled into providing this service for a fee. The solution lies within the NAMI and other community stakeholders in you area, working with them will be smart. Your thoughts? Thanks, Dr. Fildes Response to Professor: Dr. Fildes, I’m a huge supporter of nurses participating in healthcare coalitions. By participating in a coalition, nurses can influence or develop public policy initiatives that can better energize nurse leaders as they prepare the profession to partner in the reform journey. Nurses’ participation in coalitions can protect patient safety, increases the quality of care, facilitate their access to the required resources, and promote quality health care. I recently become an individual member of the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC). The Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition was formed in 2011 and became a non-profit 501(c)(3) in 2015. The NEOBHC is the first organization in the State of Ohio dedicated to addressing health disparities in the black community. The NEOBHC offers an 8-hour certified mental health training that teaches members of the public how to help a person developing a mental health disorder. The coalition also offers conferences to address mental health disparities in the African American community. I recently discovered that National Alliance on Mental Illness has a local affiliate near me in Kent, OH. Located in Hudson, OH the Coalition for Children's Mental Health is dedicated to increasing awareness of mental health disorders and illnesses among children and adolescents. Developing a partnership with either of these coalitions with my proposal to employ school-based child psychologists, social workers, and counselors at public schools to both provide initial treatment for students who experience mental illnesses allows me to increase my impact on mental health disparities, disseminate information, and present my priority policy again later to Congressman Joyce. Policymakers value and respect diverse coalitions of different stakeholders within the community, so partnering with others can improve my strength and credibility. Response to a Peer Post: A socially visible healthcare issue that I would like to see developed into a healthcare policy is the mandatory influenza vaccination for all healthcare workers. Lynne, Mandatory flu vaccination is required not only for employees at the Cleveland Clinic but other people working within the organization, such as students, vendors, volunteers, contractors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), “flu and pneumonia were the eighth leading cause of death in Ohio in 2015”. Cleveland Clinic offers the vaccine for free to all workers. Nurses from occupational health are set up at flu stations in various locations throughout the campus to administer the vaccination. It’s as simple as getting one during your lunch break. Cleveland Clinic employees that decline a vaccination must complete a standardized form with supporting documentation from a medical provider or a religious leader for exemption. Employees that are exempt must wear a mask in patient care areas during the flu season. In May 2017, Ohio State Representative Christina Hagan (R) introduced House Bill 193 that would ban employers from penalizing employees who decline flu vaccines (The Ohio Legislature, n.d.). The bill was last referred to the House of Representatives Health Committee but has not passed of this date. Great post! Reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Stats of the state of Ohio. Retrieved from The Ohio Legislature. (n.d.). House Bill 193. Retrieved from