December Mental and Behavioral Health Roundup

Behavior and Attention Management Programs: Increasing Access for Patients and Families Who Speak a Language Other Than English

The Behavior and Attention Management Program (BAM) offers Short Term Individualized Therapy (STINT) for treating disruptive behavior for patient and families who speak a language other than English (LOE). Starting January 2025, STINT LOE will more than double in capacity, increasing access and maintaining short wait time for care.

STINT LOE is designed to offer BAM parent behavior management training services for families who cannot access groups due to caregiver(s) needing care in a language other than English. The program see families one-on-one with an interpreter to complete an initial consultation and a time-limited series of behavior management training with caregivers to address off-task or disruptive behavior, and to plan for continuation of care in the community after STINT.

If a patient would qualify for BAM groups or classes (such as our Superparenting parent training program), they would make a great referral for STINT LOE. Reasons to refer a patient may include:

• Getting easily distracted or off task
• Complaining, whining, and not doing what you ask
• Yelling, meltdowns, and being defiant
• Being physically aggressive or destroying property
• Leaving the house without permission during an escalation

Visit the refer a patient page for more details.

Child Life Specialist Shares Tricks of the Trade to Help Kids Cope

It is hard enough for adults to navigate complex medical explanations and procedures; for children, it can feel impossible. That is where Seattle Children’s Child Life Department helps. This Healthy Tides article provides tips to parents for maximizing their child or teen’s coping and minimizing their stress during medical procedures, from needle pokes to surgery.