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What is Children's Mental Health?
The answer is difficult. The Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health
defines it as "the achievement of expected developmental cognitive,
social, and emotional milestones and by effective coping skills. Mentally
healthy children and adolescents enjoy a positive quality of life;
function well at home, in school, and in their communities; and are
free of disabling symptoms of psychopathology" (USDHHS, 1999, p. 123).
As parents seek to maintain their children's physical health through
immunizations, dental hygiene, and physical checkups, it is equally
important to ensure the mental health of children and adolescents is
developed appropriately.
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"Travis County will be a community
which is aware of children's mental health issues and supports
the measureable improvement of the mental health of children and
their families through a clearly defined array of prevention, early
intervention, and treatment services that are family-focused and
culturally competent."
- Community Action Network Vision
Statement
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In the more narrow sense, there are serious emotional disturbances
in children that interfere with the way they think, feel, or act. These
disturbances may develop into more serious behaviors, issues, and/or
disorders. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) defines
mental illness as disorders of the brain that disrupt a person's thinking,
feeling, moods, and ability to relate to others.
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It is important
for the community to evaluate mental health by what we are able to
accomplish and it is even more important to ensure our children have
every opportunity to appropriately develop both physically and mentally.
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Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or
income. Five million people in this country alone suffer from a serious
chronic brain disorder (NAMI, What is Mental Illness). In Travis County,
it is estimated that 10-15 percent of children experience some symptoms
related to mental illness. This equates to between 17,633 and 26,450
children and adolescents. (USDHHS's Report and EPIGRAM TX: birth -
17 = 176,335.) These illnesses greatly affect family members and society
in general. Despite age-old myths and misinformation, poor parenting,
bad character, or an individual's behavior does not cause mental health
problems.
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Description of Children's Mental Health
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Children's Mental Health Home Page
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