Learning Communities

Following the symposium, representatives from all areas of the mental health care system will be selected to serve on six Learning Communities that will take the next step. Each group will meet for two hours once a month for six months. Meeting dates and times will be determined at the discretion of each group, except for the required orientation meeting from 12:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. on June 5. Each group will have a professional facilitator to manage meetings, as well as local and national researchers with expertise in each focus area to serve as coaches/consultants throughout the six months of their work.

Each Learning Community will:

• Review research papers
• Summarize evidence-based practices for specific mental health diagnoses
• Identify the connection of the evidence to the needs of Tarrant County
• Identify barriers to effective implementation, including policy issues
• Recommend an evidence-based practice for Tarrant County to pilot
• Suggest strategies for keeping the knowledge current and widely shared among physicians, mental health care providers and consumers
• Come to consensus on the value and relevance of the research for Tarrant County
• Create a community-wide implementation and action plan for researchers, practitioners and policy makers
• Provide a written report
  

The first six Learning Communities will focus on children and address the following areas:

June-November 2007

• Internalizing Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar)
• Externalizing Disorders (Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Addictions (Substance Abuse, Alcoholism, Eating Disorders, etc.)

December 2007-May 2008

• At-Risk/Prevention (Public Health Issues, Infant Mental Health)
• Developmental Disorders (Autism and Asperger's Syndrome Spectrum)
• Trauma/Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Each Learning Community will include:

• Researchers
• Policy Makers/Policy Experts
• Agency Executives/Decision Makers
• Pediatricians or Other Primary Care Physicians
• Faith Leaders/Chaplains
• Private Practitioners (psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.)
• School Staff/Educators
• Direct Service Staff
• Supervisors
• Parents/Family Members/Consumers of Mental Health Care
• College Students
• RNs/Nurse Practitioners
• Substance Abuse Treatment/Prevention Providers

If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else for a place on one of the Learning Communities, please go to the application form, complete it and return it via mail or fax .