Of the 74.5 million children in the United States, an estimated 17.1 million have or have had a mental health disorder — more than the number of children with cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. Half of all mental illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75 percent by the age of 24.
In spite of the magnitude of the problem, lack of awareness and entrenched stigma keep the majority of these young people from getting help. Children and adolescents struggling with these disorders are at risk for academic failure, substance abuse and a clash with the juvenile justice system — all of which come at a tremendous cost to them, their families and the community.
Quoting from Child Mind® Institute "About Us"
The Child Mind® Institute's 2017 "Children's Mental Health Report" focuses on the teenage years and highlights the key brain developmental processes that can make these years "a high-risk period for impulsive behavior, and for the onset of mental health and substance use disorders."
The report is guided and organized according to three main concepts:
...and it explores specific issues including:
- smartphones and social media
- substance use and abuse
- anxiety and depression
- ADHD
- psychotic episodes and schizophrenia
- suicide and self-harm
- unique challenges in adolescent mental health care
- evidence-based educational and therapeutic approaches for adolescents
To read the full report, click here.
To read or download a PDF of the report's highlights and statistics, click here.
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