Support Not Report: The Weaponization of Mandated Reporting and the Call for Support of Black Children and Families

A case will be presented that provides an incredible opportunity for to recognize the racism faced by patients of color, especially Black children and families. It allows the use of this experience as a teaching moment for providers and clinicians at Yale Child Study Center, demonstrating how we can challenge the status quo in mental healthcare and advocate for, empower, and support Black families.

By bringing these issues to the forefront of our discussions, we are better positioned to take proactive steps in eradicating this inequity at the YCSC. As Cheryl L. Beamon, Associate Commissioner NYC Administration for Children's Services stated at the AACAP town meeting on 10/26/2023: "Support, not report." She stressed the need for mental health clinicians and providers to exercise careful judgment in determining when to offer SUPPORT to a family and when to make a REPORT to Child Protective Services.

The learning objectives for this session are to:

1. Grasp the Historical Context: Learn about America's history of separating Black children from their parents, and how this history still negatively impacts Black children and families today.
2. Support and Empower Black Families: Recognize the importance of supporting Black families facing challenges. Understand the need to exercise careful judgment before making new reports to the Department of Children and Families.
3. Build Respectful Partnerships: Explore practical ways to establish partnerships with Black children and families, for example, by empowering and collaborating with families and considering using clear, objective measures for success. Make space for hesitancy in engagement in care and medication management.

This will be a hybrid session, held live and in person from the Cohen Auditorium and simulcast via Zoom. Additional details TBA.