Exploring Roles in the Federal/National Level
Active Minds (n.d.) was created by a woman named Alison
Malmon who was strongly affected by her brother’s suicide and mental health
issues. She wanted to change the way mental health issues were perceived by
society because they are stigmatized and misunderstood. These issues start in
young children, and if they are not handled properly then they can lead to
suicide (Active Minds, n.d.). On
their careers page, they have a listing for a Director of Development who would
be in charge of helping the organization grow by raising funds and awareness of
the program. To fulfill this position they want someone who has leadership
experience, a record of raising funds, and a growth mindset. I believe I would
be a great candidate for this position because I have experience being a leader
in my school’s behavior program, and have also organized fundraisers and called
organizations to be sponsors for our program. The program I’m currently working
on is a work in progress and we are constantly trying to find ways to improve
it, which demonstrates my growth mindset. 
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) (2019) was established in 1992 to make “mental disorder
information, services, and research more accessible.” Due to their advocacy for
mental health, they consult with and make recommendations to the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human Services and work to make policies related
to mental health matters. They study issues related to mental illness and when
appropriate, they make that information available to the public to benefit
general public health. I don’t see any current job opportunities available
through the SAMHSA website but I would be interested in collecting information based on
mental health studies and analyzing them to see how they relate to other
aspects of human health. In order
to fulfill this role I believe I would need research experience, so I know what
I’m reading when analyzing research studies. I also would need background
knowledge of mental health issues and their impacts on general health. My
college and graduate experiences have prepared me with regards to reading
research studies and also studying mental health.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (n.d.) is the
lead “federal agency for research on mental disorders.” They perform research
studies on all types of mental health ranging from anxiety disorders, to eating
disorders, to schizophrenia. They appeal to me because they focus on a large
range of mental health issues and are also located near where I live so I know
a lot about their work. I could not find any current job listings that
interested me, but if I were to work at NIMH, I would want to do research in
either the anxiety disorder department or their traumatic events department. I
could create study groups of children under the age of eight, with parental
consent, and analyze how the children respond to various situations. Specifically,
I would focus on children who experience anxiety by placing them in a situation
where they have to solve a problem or see how they respond when they interact
with other children near their age. To be able to complete this role I believe
I would need research experience, which I have, and experience working with
children. I also believe I would need to know how to work well with families
and be professional, since I am researching their child. My teaching and
graduate school experiences have prepared me for these aspects of the job.
References
Active Minds. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.activeminds.org/
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
(2019). National children’s mental health awareness day. Retrieved from
https://www.samhsa.gov/childrens-awareness-day/about
Tara,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog this week. The organizations you chose demonstrate the passion you have on your challenge for your Capstone project. While I have heard of two of them and have used NIMH for looking up resources, I am not familiar with Active Minds. I am happy that you included the background of Alison Malmon's story on why she started Active Minds. I think it is empowering to see people who have been affected like she was and use it to advocate for and support others. In a world where there is stigmatization on mental health issues, we need strong advocates who will help break through these stigmas to improve the lives of all. Whether or not we want to admit it, we have all been impacted and it is time we all speak up rather than ignore it.
Trish
Tara, the organizations you chose appear that they are very helpful with individuals with mental health challenges. I think you found some great organizations that could be a great addition to your community of practice for your Capstone project on Mental Health in Early Childhood. I really enjoyed reading about the Active Minds organization because I think their focus is very important and there are many misconceptions about mental health. It sounds like you could qualify to work for many of these organizations! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBrianna
Tara,
ReplyDeleteI got through the first few sentences and was already admiring your dedication to those who need additional support. In the state of Ohio or even within my county many issues with the children struggle with mental illness and we struggle with trying to help these children. With the organizations that you introduced such as the Active Mind gives me great hope thta we can move forward with help. As Brianna mentioned above there is a lot of misconceptions with mental health and with these resources we can help them!
Thank you for sharing them and with your experiences you can save and help these children!
-Krissy
Tara, thank you for sharing these resources. One of the focus's that I have been working on in my professional life is how we can support families in meeting their basic needs. When the basic needs of children and families are met, then we can begin learning. Mental health is a basic need, basic health that needs to be met for all individuals big and small so that they can participate and grow within their community. I think for many both young and old there is a definite negative stigma when we speak of mental health. This has to be changed and those who work as advocates will be the voice for that change. Mental health and wellness is a cornerstone to any persons learning and development. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTara M.