The relationship between learning and mental health is often overlooked. When children are not able to access sufficient educational services and supports, their self-esteem and confidence suffer. Students with learning disabilities (or more accurately, learning differences) need to be taught using teaching strategies that are geared to their individual learning styles.
Likewise, children with mental health difficulties often struggle in school. Many mental health issues affect children’s ability to concentrate, organize their thoughts and belongings, make decisions, and socialize effectively. Symptoms such as these interfere with children’s ability to progress academically and socially.
Early and consistent intervention is essential for children with learning, developmental, physical, or mental health needs. Ensuring children receive effective and timely services provides them with the support they need to maintain healthy self-esteem and be successful at school and in life.
Understanding the developmental stages a child is going through greatly improves parents’, teachers’, and other service providers’ ability to respond effectively to children’s needs. This awareness ensures children have everything they need to develop into happy, healthy, productive adults.
Healthy Minds Consulting was established to meet these needs.
Mission:
Unite the fields of education and mental health to foster students’ self-esteem and academic success.
Vision:
Facilitate thorough and effective Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and learning plans that increase children’s self-esteem through successful learning experiences.
Enhance communication and coordination between professionals in the fields of education, child development, and mental health.
Collaborate with allied professionals to create solutions to the “gaps” between systems that disable effective service provision.
Improve families’ and service providers’ understanding of child development and the developmental factors that impact children’s learning and mental health.
Community Involvement:
Healthy Minds Consulting is currently providing services to the following organizations.
Juvenile Mental Health Court – The Juvenile Mental Health Court (JMHC) serves a subset of youth who are involved in the delinquency system and who have developmental delays and/or severe psychiatric/mental health needs. This specialized court has a team of professionals who work collaboratively to provide supports and services to the youth and their families to reduce recidivism rates and improve the youths’ life outcomes.
Westside Regional Center/UCLA NPI Psychiatric Clinic – The Westside Regional Center, in collaboration with the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI), provides psychiatric services to persons with developmental disabilities who are in need of psychiatric supervision or medication. The clinic is structured so that a team of support personnel are included in the psychiatric treatment plan and assist with coordinating services that will support the clients’ psychiatric needs.
