Episode 21

full
Published on:

28th May 2021

Be A Better Parent: Interview with Dr. Bob Franks

Dr. Robert P. Franks is the president and Chief Executive Officer of the Judge Baker Children's Center (JBCC) and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Franks is a leader in the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based practices in children’s mental health, holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and a Ph.D. from Boston College. He completed his clinical training and doctoral fellowship in child psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Franks has served on the faculties of the Yale University School of Medicine, the University of Connecticut Health Center, and the Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Franks has worked in academic settings, non-profit institutions, medical centers, and the community to improve the quality of behavioral health care for children and families. He has worked across multiple child-serving sectors at the local and national levels including pediatrics, behavioral health, education, juvenile justice, and child welfare. Over the course of his career, he has led numerous statewide workforce development initiatives to implement a wide range of best and evidence-based practices and programs. His work has helped bridge the gap between research and practice and improved access to high-quality care for thousands of families. Dr. Franks is recognized as a national expert on the dissemination, implementation, and sustainment of best practices in behavioral health. 

 As CEO of the Judge Baker Children’s Center, Dr. Franks works at the policy, systems, and practice levels to create sustainable change and improve access to quality behavioral health care leading to lifelong positive outcomes for children and families in Massachusetts and beyond. Dr. Franks is further establishing the Judge Baker Children’s Center as a national leader in children’s mental health and works collaboratively with partners locally and nationally at the policy, systems, and practice levels to advance quality care that has been proven to help children and families.

In this episode, Dr. Robert P. Franks talks about his new book, BE A BETTER PARENT - 10 STRATEGIES FOR BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE FOR YOUR CHILD. Dr. Franks shares a glimpse of his personal experience and family life which became his inspiration in writing this powerful book. He also imparts some practical parenting advice on how you can be the best parent for your child. 

What You'll Learn

  • The importance of love, quality time, communication, and respect in parenting. 
  • Practical parenting advice from a psychologist through the lens of love combined with years of working with families.  
  • And much more!

For More Information: 

Judge Baker Children's Center

Book mentioned in the podcast:

BE A BETTER PARENT - 10 STRATEGIES FOR BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE FOR YOUR CHILD

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The Optimistic Advocate
Making a difference in advocating for better mental health services for children and families
Hello, and welcome to the Optimistic Advocate! The Podcast that brings you just a bit closer to recognizing your full potential as an advocate for change – yours, mine, and everyone's! I’m your host, Scott, Bryant-Comstock, and I’m CEO and founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network. For the past 40 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has traveled from volunteering at a suicide and crisis center, professional roles as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, in-home family therapist, state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and national reviewer of children’s mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network (2009), I lead the Network’s efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children’s mental health research, policy, and practice.

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About your host

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Scott Bryant-Comstock

For the past 40 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has spanned working at a suicide and crisis center, as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, an in-home family therapist, a state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and a national reviewer of children's mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children's Mental Health Network (2009), I lead the Network's efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children's mental health research, policy, and practice. Through it all, I remain optimistic that the voice of advocates can, and will, be heard. We need strong advocates now, more than ever!

If you're like most of my listeners, you're committed to making significant contributions to your work and seeing sustainable change. But it's not easy–you know it, and I know it. Let's face it - it's downright hard! My passion is helping to shape policy and practice in children's mental health, and my mission is to introduce you to innovative efforts taking place across the nation that are making a difference in the lives of children and families.