May 1-7 is National Children’s Mental Health Week. May 3, 2011 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. Both offer an ideal opportunity for Texans to consider how they might contribute to the emotional well-being of children in their home, schools, and communities. National Children's Mental Health Week is observed during National Mental Health Month.
Why Green Ribbons?
In the 1800s the color green was used to brand people who were labeled "insane". The children's mental health community decided to continue using the color green, but with a completely different focus. Green signifies new life, new growth, and new beginnings. Therefore, green ribbons are worn to raise public awareness to better the lives of children and youth with serious emotional disorders. Please show your support of these children and their families.
Texas Information and Resources
DSHS MHSA Services for Children and Adolescents
Overview of mental health and substance abuse services for children and adolescents, including how to get help and what to expect when seeking help.
Children's Coordinated Funding Committee Report
The Children’s Coordinated Funding Committee is comprised of program and finance representatives from nine child-serving state agencies and was charged by the Mental Health Transformation Working Group (TWG) to examine the issue of fragmented funding and service coordination for children with severe emotional disturbance (SED). This specific population of children was selected due to the high costs shared among agencies and programs, and because there is great potential to better coordinate funds across agencies to improve outcomes and reduce costs that could then be redirected to early intervention and prevention efforts. The committee's report, Coordinated Funding for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance: Current Funding, Services and Recommendations (PDF) is now available.
YES Waiver- Youth Empowerment Services The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is implementing a 1915(c) Medicaid Waiver entitled Youth Empowerment Services (YES). The YES Waiver allows more flexibility in the funding of intensive community-based services and supports for eligible youth ages 3-18 with serious emotional disturbances and their families. Travis and Bexar Counties will serve as the initial two pilot sites for service implementation. The Local Mental Health Authorities in both counties have begun an Interest List for youth and families interested in accessing services through the YES Waiver. To obtain more information and to get registered on the Interest List for Bexar County, please contact the Center for Health Care Services at (210) 731-1300 extension 259. To obtain more information and to get registered on the Interest List for Travis County, please call (512) 804-3191. For more information about the YES Waiver, please visit the YES Waiver webpage at www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/yes or contact YESWaiver@dshs.state.tx.us.
Texas School-Based Behavioral Health Survey, Results and Recommendations, October 2009 (PDF)
49-page study conducted by Mental Health Transformation detailing the types of behavioral health programs and collaborations with behavioral health professionals in Texas public schools, training provided to teachers and promotion of behavioral health materials within the school system.
Texas Collaborative for Emotional Development in Schools
Website showcasing best practices for behavioral health integration in Texas public schools. Examples include The Georgetown project and the Travis County Children’s Partnership amongst others.
Texas Children's Mental Health Forum
A non-profit organization convened by Texans Care for Children and the Texas Health Institute to bring together families, public agencies, and organizations with a stake in improving children's mental health. Its aim is to create broad-based leadership for children's mental health among diverse groups at both the state and local levels, while advancing a child mental health agenda for Texas.
Mental Health Transformation - Children and Adolescents Workgroup
Like other state mental health service areas, demand for youth and adolescent programming has strained mental health, juvenile justice, and school systems. Experts suggest that establishing early detection and intervention programs in preschool and school settings will reduce long-term system demand and juvenile justice involvement. With 1,129 state school districts in Texas functioning independently, the state has chosen to take the lead in developing strategies for youth and adolescent system transformation. For more information, please visit http://www.mhtransformation.org/twg_children.asp.
Facts About Childrens' Mental Health
Compiled by Mental Health America:
General
- Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. (Department of Health & Human Services)
- An estimated two-thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. (Department of Health & Human Services)
- Studies indicate that 1 in 5 children and adolescents (20 percent) may have a diagnosable disorder. Estimates of the number of children who have mental disorders range from 7.7 million to 12.8 million. (Department of Health & Human Services)
Anorexia Nervosa
- Anorexia affects one in every 100 to 200 adolescent girls and a much smaller number of boys. (Department of Health & Human Services)
- Approximately 1% of adolescent girls develop anorexia nervosa. 1 in 10 cases lead to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. (National Institute of Mental Health)
Anxiety Disorders
- As many as 1 in 10 young people may have an anxiety disorder (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
- Studies suggest that children or adolescents are more likely to have an anxiety disorder if their parents have anxiety disorders (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- 30 percent - 40 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have relatives with the same type of problem. (Clinical Pediatrics)
- ADHD is the most common psychiatric condition affecting children, estimates in prevalence in childhood range from 5 - 10%. (Clinical Pediatrics)
- As many as 50% of children with ADHD are never diagnosed. (Harvard Mental Health Letter)
Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression)
- Almost one-third of six to twelve year old children diagnosed with major depression will develop bipolar disorders within a few years. (Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Bulimia Nervosa
- Reported rates of bulimia nervosa vary from one to three out of 100 young people. (Department of Health and Human Services)
Conduct Disorder
- As many as 1 in 10 children and adolescents may have conduct disorder. (Department of Health and Human Services)
Depression
- Recent studies show that, at any given time, as many as one in every 33 children may have clinical depression. The rate of depression among adolescents may be as high as one in eight. (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Recent studies have shown that greater than 20% of adolescents in the general population have emotional problems and one-third of adolescents attending psychiatry clinics suffer from depression. (The Canadian Journal of CME)
Juvenile Justice
- It is estimates that between 118,700 and 186,600 youths who are involved in the juvenile justice system have at least one mental disorder. (The National Coalition for the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System)
- According to a 1994 OJJDP study of juveniles' response to health screenings conducted at the admission of juvenile facilities, 73 percent of juveniles reported having mental health problems and 57 percent reported having prior mental health treatment or hospitalization.
- Of the 100,000 teenagers in juvenile detention, estimates indicate that 60 percent have behavioral, mental or emotional problems. (Department of Justice)
Learning Disorders
- It is thought that anywhere from 15 - 20 % of children with ADHD have a condition known as a "Specific Learning Disability" - and perhaps 50% of children with learning disability have ADHD. (Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder in Children)
Schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia is rare in children under 12, but occurs in about three out of every 1,000 adolescents. (Department of Health & Human Services)
Serious Emotional Disturbances
- Serious emotional disturbances affect 1 in ever 10 young people at any given time. (Department of Health & Human Services)
Suicide
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds (approx 5,000 young people) and the sixth leading cause of death for five - 15 year olds. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
- The rate of suicide for this age group has nearly tripled since 1960, making it the third leading cause of death in adolescents and the second leading cause of death among college age youth. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
- More teenagers and young adults died as a result of suicide in 1999 than cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, birth defects, stroke and chronic lung disease combined. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
- For every older teen and young adult who takes his or her own life, 100-200 of their peers attempts suicide. Between 500,000 and 1 million young people attempt suicide each year. (American Association of Suicidology)
Additional Information & Resources
If you or your child needs help, please contact your pediatrician or physician, your local community mental health center (search by county, city, or zip code at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhservices-search/), or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.
List of resources and action guides for schools and families