Supporting Youth and Families Managing Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Issues: A Mother's Call for Change
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION
CHDI Director of Implementation Jack Lu, PhD, LCSW collaborated with Connecticut parent and advocate Amy Bogert on this article for the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment (JSAT). Bogert's son, Mason, died in 2021 at age 23 from complications of a brain injury caused by an opioid overdose.
In the article, Bogert shares her experience navigating the youth behavioral health system with her son - and her transformation into an advocate for expanding access to integrated treatment for co-occurring behavioral health and substance use disorders (COD).
Robert Baldwin and Amy Bogert, Mason's parents
"Learning of the idea that a person's mental health and addiction issues could be treated together was like being hit by a lightning bolt," she writes. "I realized that this had been what Mason so desperately needed, and resolved I would do whatever I could to ensure others could access such integrated services."
Bogert currently serves as co-chair of the SBIRT PATHS Advisory Committee, providing a critical caregiver perspective as CHDI and our partners develop integrated COD services for youth in Connecticut. She also collaborates with the NAMI Connecticut Public Policy Coalition and Connecticut's Alcohol and Drug Policy Council Treatment Subcommittee.
"Amy is an invaluable partner," says Lu. "Collaborating with families and youth is a critical part of CHDI's approach to improving systems of care. Caregivers like Amy have unique experiences and insights that shape and strengthen this work."