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Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

May 03, 2011

On May 3, the nation also marks National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. In 2006, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) launched this initiative as an opportunity to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and adolescents with serious mental health needs and their families.

    According to SAMHSA statistics, one in five children and adolescents experience mental health challenges that impact early learning, social interactions and the overall well-being of their families. Children and adolescents may encounter a variety of issues including attention problems, post-traumatic stress and depression.

    One Community One Family, the Systems of Care collaborative which partners with Community Mental Health Center, has worked to publicize child and adolescent mental health matters. Staff members have been speaking on some area radio programs and making presentations in a variety of venues, and have encouraged local governments to proclaim both Children's Mental Health Awareness Day and Mental Health Month. In face, among those, the county commissioners in all eight counties in the Systems of Care collaborative -- Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Rush and Switzerland -- have signed proclamations.