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For forty-five years MACED, the Michigan Association for Children with Emotional Disorders has helped families statewide dealing with the difficulties they face each day when there is a child in the family with an emotional disorder. The mission of MACED is as critical today as ever: To help families find educational, mental health, and other services for children with emotional disorders as well as to encourage and enhance the public’s understanding and support of these children, their families and the services they desperately need. The Michigan Association for Children with Emotional Disorders was organized in 1957 by a group of concerned parents, mental health professionals and educators who recognized the need for citizen action on behalf of troubled children. Parents and professionals are partners in the association. Parents bring personal experiences and a sense of urgency to our efforts. Coupled with the dedication, knowledge and skills of professional workers, this partnership has sparked many achievements for children: 1957—Hundreds of children with mental illness hospitalized on adult wards. MACED spearheaded the citizen effort that resulted in funding of hospitals and residential programs exclusively for children and no public school special education programs for children with emotional disorders. MACED led the battle to include mandatory services and funding for children with emotional disorders in special education. 2000—Hundreds of Michigan children are relegated to the criminal justice system because of untreated emotional disorders and psychiatric symptoms mistaken for delinquent behavior. 2002—MACED established a juvenile justice initiative that provides direct services to children confronted with juvenile charges and develops systematic approaches to diverting children from the criminal system into the mental health system. |
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