The Iowa Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (IFFCMH) is an organization of parents and caregivers who are raising or have raised a child with emotional and behavioral challenges that 1) educates, supports and advocates for parents and caregivers raising children with emotional and behavioral challenges; 2) informs service providers, administrators, and policy makers about the needs of parents and caregivers; and 3) educates the community about children’s mental health. These activities are intended to increase parents and caregivers access to a well funded service delivery system that provides their children comprehensive, coordinated, and individualized care that is strength-based and provided in partnership with families and youth; increase community awareness of children’s mental health; and build partnerships between communities, schools and other child serving public agencies. When children and families live in communities that understand their needs and receive individualized, strength-based care provided in partnership with families, the following goals are achieved:

• Families stay together
• Families have social support and do not experience stigma
• Children are successful in school, both academically and socially
• Children are happy
• Children become successful adults

To promote these child and family outcomes parents and caregivers who have raised or are raising children with emotional and behavioral challenges provide the following services to other parents and caregivers raising children with emotional and behavioral challenges; service providers, administrators, and policy makers; and the community at large.

Training for Families and providers is intended to increase family members’ knowledge and skills and providers’ understanding of the reality of raising a child with an emotional/behavioral challenge. Increasing family members’ knowledge and skills builds hope and confidence, which empowers family members to more effectively partner with providers and schools around developing and implementing individualized, strength-based care for their children. Increasing providers understanding of the reality of raising a child with an emotional/behavioral challenge prepares them to seek out and partner with families in order to develop and implement treatment plans that are individualized and build on the strengths of the child and family.

Advocacy is intended to assist parents in overcoming barriers to accessing individualized and strength-based care. Through support and advocacy, both parents and providers learn communication and problem resolution strategies needed to partner effectively.

Family Support is intended to build social support networks among family members caring for children with emotional/behavioral challenges. Peer support helps families whether the every day challenges of raising a child with an emotional/behavioral challenge and thrive.

Information & Referral increases families and providers knowledge of the needs of children with emotional/behavioral challenges and connect families with available community resources. As a result, family members are more empowered to seek out services and to partner with schools and providers around developing individualized and strength-based care for their children; and providers are better prepared to offer the kind of supports and services that will meet the child and family’s individual needs and build upon their strengths.

Outreach and Education is intended to educate the community about the needs of children with emotional/behavioral challenges and the reality of raising a child with an emotional/behavioral challenge. As the public better understands the reality of raising a child with an emotional/behavioral challenge, children and families will experience less stigma and receive more social support.

Outcome Evaluation: IFFCMH plans and conducts research about outcomes for children and their families. Data resulting from this research is disseminated to state and government child serving agencies, and other concerned parties to demonstrate the benefit of these family partnership efforts.

The relationship between the agency’s activities and the achievement of optimal outcomes for children and their families are outlined in the chart below. The chart is color coded to show how expected changes in the individuals that participate in IFFCMH activities leads to changes in the service delivery system and community, which leads to changes in the quality of life for children with emotional/behavioral challenges and their families.

Please click here for chart.

This website is made possible by funding from the Federal Center for Mental Health Services and individual support from families and others across the state of Iowa.