An exceptional opportunity is being missed. A chance to alleviate suffering and to achieve health care cost reductions for society is available, but is being ignored. There is an explosion of new knowledge about the emotional and intellectual development of children, and the causes and treatment of psychiatric disorders of children and adolescents. Research from diverse disciplines such as the developmental neurosciences, psychoanalysis, psychopharmacology, developmental psychology, and genetics propels us forward,. However, the effects of this new knowledge reach children and adolscents slowly, or not at all. The long history of neglect of the mental health of children and adolescents is now exaggurated by sudden, disruptive economic and political influences on mental health services for children and adolescents in most countries. Prevention and treatment of emotional and intellectual problems in childhood and adolescence have vastly improved, but utilization of these advantages lags behind. This disappointing incongruity stimulates a need to document our knowledge about these services and systems and to make it more broadly available. This is the primary aim of this new volume by a team of distinguished contributors. It reviews the causes and prevalences of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, the problem of health care financing for these services, the underutilization of these services, our current understanding of the outcomes of treatment, and the new models for both treatment and prevention. The book also provides a survey of current mental health services and sytems for children and adolescents in countries across the world. Information drawn from these multiple perspectives is has been used by a group of international experts to develop the Venice Declaration, providing specific guidelines for families, clinicians, administrators, and policy-makers who are concerned with the development of children and adolescents, and are committed to a more efficient economic approach to mental health services.

More than half of children either in foster care, or adopted from care in the developed world, have a measurable need for mental health services, while up to one quarter present with complex and severe trauma- and attachment-related psychological disorders. This book outlines how services can effectively detect, prevent, and treat mental health difficulties in this vulnerable population. Responding to increasing evidence that standard child and adolescent mental health services are poorly matched to the mental health service needs of children and young people who have been in foster care, this book provides expert guidance on the design of specialised services. The first part provides an overview of these children’s mental health needs, their use of mental health services and what is known about the effectiveness of mental health interventions provided to them. The second part presents some recent innovations in mental health service delivery, concentrating on advances in clinical and developmental assessment and treatment. The final part confronts the challenges for delivering effective mental health services in this area. This is the definitive international reference for the design of specialised mental health services for children and young people in care and those adopted from care. It is invaluable reading for health and social care professionals working with this population and academics with an interest in child and adolescent mental health from a range of disciplines, including social work, nursing and psychology.

Many measurement systems to monitor the well-being of children and guide services are implemented across the community, state, and national levels in the United States. While great progress has been made in recent years in developing interventions that have been shown to improve the cognitive, affective, and behavioral health of children, many of these tested and effective interventions have yet to be widely implemented. One potential reason for this lag in implementation is a need to further develop and better utilize measures that gauge the success of evidence-based programs as part of a broad effort to prevent negative outcomes and foster children's health and well-being. To address this issue, the Institute of Medicine Forum on Promoting Children's Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health held a workshop in Washington, DC, on November 5-6, 2014. The workshop featured presentations on the use of data linkage and integration to inform research and practice related to children's cognitive, affective, and behavioral health; the use of quality measures to facilitate system change in health care, classroom, and juvenile justice settings; and tools developed to measure implementation of evidence-based prevention programs at scale to support sustainable program delivery, among other topics. Workshop presenters and participants discussed examples of innovative design and utilization of measurement systems, new approaches to build on existing data systems, and new data systems that could support the cognitive, affective, and behavioral health and well-being of children. This report summarizes the presentation and discussions of the event.

Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is a critical foundation for a productive adulthood. Much is known about strategies to support families and communities in strengthening the MEB development of children and youth, by promoting healthy development and also by preventing and mitigating disorder, so that young people reach adulthood ready to thrive and contribute to society. Over the last decade, a growing body of research has significantly strengthened understanding of healthy MEB development and the factors that influence it, as well as how it can be fostered. Yet, the United States has not taken full advantage of this growing knowledge base. Ten years later, the nation still is not effectively mitigating risks for poor MEB health outcomes; these risks remain prevalent, and available data show no significant reductions in their prevalence. Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth: A National Agenda examines the gap between current research and achievable national goals for the next ten years. This report identifies the complexities of childhood influences and highlights the need for a tailored approach when implementing new policies and practices. This report provides a framework for a cohesive, multidisciplinary national approach to improving MEB health.

"This soundly structured book reinforces and enriches educators′ skills in population-based mental health. It provides usable information on how to get administrative buy-in for implementing coordinated, proven prevention and intervention practices. Rich with Web connections and references, it can serve as a textbook, a practitioner′s workbook, and as a tool kit for implementation." —Kevin P. Dwyer, Consultant, Turnaround for Children Former President, National Association of School Psychologists The road map for designing and implementing effective mental health services for all students! Studies have shown that mental wellness is a key determinant of students′ academic and developmental success, but simply addressing the problems of individual students is not enough. Increasingly, schools are turning to population-based models for providing mental health services to ensure that students maintain the psychological, social, and emotional competence needed for learning. This comprehensive guidebook demonstrates how to use this approach to effectively assess mental health needs and design appropriate prevention and intervention strategies that will benefit individual students, whole classrooms, and an entire school population. Drawing from a wealth of current research and backed by evidence supporting the effectiveness of the population-based approach, this wide-ranging resource offers: Formal and informal strategies for identifying and prioritizing a school′s mental health needs, as well as risk and protective factors Insights into creating and managing a nurturing school environment, promoting psychological well-being, and preventing mental health problems Suggestions for engaging parents in the process of fostering mental health Intervention strategies that address significant behavioral problems, including violence, bullying, depression, and difficulty relating to peers An integrated ten-step sequence for shifting from conventional approaches that focus only on individual problems to population-based services that support all students Transforming School Mental Health Services is the ideal resource for school mental health professionals and critical decision makers looking to optimize students′ wellness and educational performance.

A Focus on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Promoting Child and Adolescent Mental Health is written for health education students with a keen focus on how to build sustainable support systems across the community, classroom, schools and families to adequately promote positive behavior and mental health for both children and adolescents. The text addresses a wide range of learning challenges and mental health issues and outlines the support needed to provide communities and schools with the proper guidance to create an adaptable system which promotes child and adolescent mental health allowing them to flourish. The text presents mental health as a community-based challenge. By focusing on children and adolescents, it allows undergraduate and graduate students to concentrate on specific populations while acquiring skills that are applicable to a broad spectrum of diverse communities. This innovative text models teamwork across a variety of disciplines and encourages students to develop connections across communities and systems to promote child and adolescent mental health. Key Features • Text and resources draw from real-world experience of professionals who work in schools • Features course material currently used in school curricula • An emphasis on developing individual responsibility through active involvement with diverse communities • Evidence-based methods • A focus on practical application and simple, clear, relatable language • Real-life vignettes that launch each chapter and inspire discussion and further thought • Content that is easily adaptable for both undergraduate students and experienced human services professionals • Extensive instructor resources, including chapter outlines, text-linked teaching tips, test bank and answer key, and chapter-specific PowerPoint presentations • Action-based tips for promoting child and adolescent mental health • Extensive information on networking with other human services professionals to develop a larger framework of support for children and adolescents • Information on referrals, teams, partnerships, and collaborations

More than half of children either in foster care, or adopted from care in the developed world, have a measurable need for mental health services, while up to one quarter present with complex and severe trauma- and attachment-related psychological disorders. This book outlines how services can effectively detect, prevent, and treat mental health difficulties in this vulnerable population. Responding to increasing evidence that standard child and adolescent mental health services are poorly matched to the mental health service needs of children and young people who have been in foster care, this book provides expert guidance on the design of specialised services. The first part provides an overview of these children’s mental health needs, their use of mental health services and what is known about the effectiveness of mental health interventions provided to them. The second part presents some recent innovations in mental health service delivery, concentrating on advances in clinical and developmental assessment and treatment. The final part confronts the challenges for delivering effective mental health services in this area. This is the definitive international reference for the design of specialised mental health services for children and young people in care and those adopted from care. It is invaluable reading for health and social care professionals working with this population and academics with an interest in child and adolescent mental health from a range of disciplines, including social work, nursing and psychology.

Barriers to community mental health centers (such as stigma, waiting lists) prevent youth from receiving necessary services. Providing Mental Health Services toYouth Where They Are, identifies the reform that is needed in children's mental health service. As the issues of systems of mental health care have received increased attention, so has the recognition of the benefits of providing services to youth where they are: that is, in natural settings, such as home or school. Principles to include in systems of mental health care for youth are as equally important as actually reaching the youth: involvement of families, school staff, community leaders, and clergy. The development of programs are matched to the developmental, cultural, and other needs of youth in a community so they mesh with existing services. This book describes how these principles play out in school-, home-, and community-based mental health programs for youth.