2019 Nantucket Children’s Mental Health Summit

Half of all mental health conditions emerge by the age of 14. Mental health care for children is a major issue across the country, with experts, philanthropists, and policymakers working together to improve the lives of young people dealing with mental and behavioral health issues by addressing issues before symptoms become more severe.

Progress is being made, largely thanks to dedicated philanthropists like Maureen and Jim Hackett, whose generous and transformative $20 Million gift established The Hackett Center for Mental Health (THC) in January 2018. Leveraging the participation of exceptionally skilled researchers, community leaders, and health care providers, The Hackett Center’s purpose is to transform systems and influence policy through unprecedented collaboration.

From July 31-August 2, The Hackett Center for Mental Health is hosting the second annual “Nantucket Children’s Mental Health Summit.” This unique and important event, brings together the leading minds in children’s mental health from both Massachusetts and Texas states to share and discuss innovative new ways to improve systems and overall care.

Working with THC, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH), these experts gather to learn about the work going on in each state, the unique challenges within their respective systems, and both their success stories and cautionary tales.

Discussions during the inaugural Summit in 2018 led experts at MMHPI and THC to encourage the creation of Texas’ Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN), based on Massachusetts’ Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP). Legislation to create this system – which helps primary care pediatricians more quickly consult psychiatry experts at the state’s medical schools for diagnosis and treatment options – passed during the 86th Texas Legislative Session.

By bringing together people from these two great states, with different approaches and distinctive ideas, the Summit will continue generating great ideas and opportunities for collaboration for a long time to come.

Find out more about the 2019 Nantucket Children’s Mental Health Summit on our Events Page