Children's Mental Health: NOT just the absence of illness

by oaprice

05/03/2011 10:17 AM

Today, May 3, 2011, we observe National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day and the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools is joining many other organizations to raise awareness of children's mental health needs.  This year’s focus on early childhood and trauma is appropriate, given the multitude of environmental, social, and economic stressors that many children and youth (and their families) contend with on a daily basis. 

 

But this day is not only for those interested in preventing or reducing symptoms of mental illness.  It is also a day to consider the many ways we can strengthen and promote good mental health skills and recommit to children’s positive mental health development. It is also a day to celebrate the achievements and emphasize the importance of school mental health programs and services that have become a part of our nation’s child mental health delivery system, especially for poor and underserved youth. 

 

A recent online discussion about sustaining school mental health programs, hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, received over 7000 views!  School mental health is on a lot of people’s minds. We hope the discussion will increase our knowledge of federal, state and local policies and programs that support (or limit) school mental health programs and help identify the common struggles that plague practitioners, educators, researchers, and parents who advocate for expanding school-connected mental health.   Please take a minute to share your thoughts. What do you feel are the most promising directions for sustaining these services?

 

Olga Acosta Price
Director, Center for Health and Health Care in Schools