Diane Revels Flashnick

Diane Flashnick, executive director of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health of South Carolina shared with the attendees how working toward a common ground for the best interest of the child should be the driving force behind parent/professional collaboration.This common ground can only be reached through strong communication.

According to Diane Flashnick, Director of The Federation of Families of South Carolina, "There are so many people that really don't understand that mental health is just like physical health, there's treatment, medication, it is a real disorder just like heart disease and diabetes."

Flashnick said, one in five children in South Carolina have mental health needs, one of those children was seventeen year-old Ashlee Watkins.
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According to Flashnick, "Children who have mental health needs are just like every other child, but they do need some special understanding and interventions."

Diane Flashnick Executive Director

Diane FlashnickExecutive DirectorP.O. Box 1266Columbia, SC 29202Phone: 803-779-0402Fax: 803-779-0450

Diane Flashnick Executive Director diane.flashnick@fedfamsc.org

Diane Revels Flashnick P.O. Box 1266 Columbia, SC 29201

Ph: (803) 779-0402 Fax: (803) 779-0450

Diane Revels Flashnick, Executive Director

Diane Flashnick, Executive Director: diane.flashnick@fedfamsc.org

Diane Flashnick, director of the Federation of Families, an advocacy group for children and families, said the lack of permanent leadership concerns her "because of the situation we're in," adding there should be "someone at the helm to hold accountable."

"I would hope that children and families would be a big enough priority that they would name someone as soon as possible," Flashnick said.
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Flashnick said the new director should focus on prevention and early intervention in family crises.

"Kids today are able to be diagnosed as early as infancy for mental health disorders," she said, and early diagnoses could lead to early family assistance.

Flashnick said a new director also should push for such changes in the law as providing financial assistance for people who are willing to provide foster care for relatives.

By DIANE REVELS FLASHNICK
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Ms. Flashnick is the executive director of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health of South Carolina.