What does it take for children to be mentally healthy? Being mentally healthy is not just about emotional and behavioral difficulties. It's also about being mentally strong and resilient and having the skills and supports to deal with stressful issues when they arise. Today is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, established and promoted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Awareness Day national event seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health and that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development from birth.
We know that
- Young adults thrive when offered practical resources to help them reach their goals, develop respectful relationships with adults, and create opportunities for self-determination and meaningful employment.Learn more.
- A 2009 study found that nearly 50 percent of people ages 18 to 25 with a serious mental health challenge were employed, compared to 66 percent of young adults of the same age without serious mental health challenges. Learn more.
- In 2009, only 53 percent of young adults ages 18 to 25 with serious mental health challenges enrolled in postsecondary education, compared to 67 percent of young adults of the same age without serious mental health challenges. Learn more.
- Since 2011, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has extended coverage and increased access to mental health and substance abuse services to more than 3 million previously uninsured