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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 Home Page
Children's Mental Health Home Page
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