WHO WE ARE
Kids’ Mental Health Pierce County is a group of agencies and professionals dedicated to improving child and adolescent mental health treatment and prevention in Pierce County. We are focused on accomplishing the following:
- Developing a one-stop collaborative that serves as a single point of access to child and adolescent mental health services
- Increasing support and expansion of mobile crisis response teams
- Promoting and supporting workforce development and continued training in child and adolescent mental health
OUR CHARTER
“There is nothing more important than addressing the mental health needs of children and families. This is how we change the trajectory for better health outcomes later in life and create equity and access within our systems.”
Joe Le Roy
President & CEO HopeSparks
KIDS MENTAL HEALTH PIERCE COUNTY PARTICIPANTS:
Kids’ Mental Health Pierce County Charter
Kids’ Mental Health—Pierce County (KMHPC) is a coalition of people and agencies in Pierce County that are joining together to address the growing behavioral health crisis among school age children and youth.
Background. KMHPC was established at the October 2018 Children’s Mental Health Summit when our community mapped the challenges and decided to work together to address the growing crisis in children’s mental health. At the April 2019 Kids’ Mental Health-Pierce County Summit we ratified our common agenda and agreed how we will work together as KMHPC.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in young people between the ages of 15-24 and the
• 4th leading cause of death in children between 10-14.
• In 2019, 1500 children with mental health crises came to the Mary Bridge emergency department — a 400% increase in just three years.
Our Mission. Kids’ Mental Health – Pierce County is dedicated to developing a coordinated, responsive behavioral health system that serves the needs of children, youth and families at the right time, in the best place, with the best outcome for every family. KMHPC coordinates with initiatives focused on young children to create a continuum of behavioral health services starting at birth.
Our Values. Our shared values engender trust and link coalition members together. Children are at the center of our work. We are committed to supporting children’s well-being, promoting cultural responsiveness and equity, and incorporating youth and family voice into our work.
Our Vision. Our long-term vision is to reduce the number and severity of behavioral health issues in school-age children and youth (K-12) across Pierce County. To start, we are building coordinated, effective and efficient behavioral health services for these children and youth. “Crisis” is defined by the youth and family when the youth’s needs outweigh the existing resources within the family.
Steering Committee. The initial KMHPC Steering Committee has appointed members to represent key partners needed to achieve our goals. The Steering Committee makes decisions that affect the coalition, such as: setting metrics, developing budgets, planning action team agendas and advancing community education and advocacy. Decisions are made by consensus, which is achieved when all present (minus no more than two people) are in agreement.
Action Teams. The KMHPC Action Teams are comprised of people and agencies working together to plan and implement KMHPC community-wide agenda. Team leads are responsible for bringing the team together to plan and implement the strategy.
Contact: Ashley Mangum, Director, Kids’ Mental Health Pierce County
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center | MultiCare Health System
E-Mail: amangum@multicare.org | Phone: 253-403-1363
KMHPC Steering Committee
The KMHPC Steering Committee has appointed members to represent key partners needed to achieve our goals. The Steering Committee makes decisions that affect the coalition, such as: setting metrics, developing budgets, planning action team agendas and advancing community education and advocacy.
The 2021-2022 KMHPC Steering Committee includes the following members:
- Elizabeth Allen, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
- Laura Allen, Tacoma Public Schools
- Michele Bledsoe, Puyallup School District
- Sydney Doherty, Coordinated Care
- Bolesha Johnson, Department of Children, Youth and Families
- Jamie Kautz, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
- Chris Ladish, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
- Joe LeRoy, HopeSparks
- Sally McDaniel, Greater Lakes Mental Health
- Meera Ramsingh-Seal, Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)
- Danelle Reed, Puyallup Tribal Health Authority
- Anita Teeter, Department of Children, Youth and Families
- Linda Thomas, Catholic Community Services
- Tiffany Villines, Beacon Health Options