There is a need for greater knowledge about mental illnesses among children and adolescents, including diagnosis and treatment. There also is a need for greater action in the medical community to address concerns raised by the U.S. Surgeon General. During the first three months of 2000, following release of the Surgeon General s Report on Mental Health, a survey of newspapers and other publications conducted by NAMI showed a 54 percent increase in articles related to mental illness. The number of articles focusing on children increased 125 percent. National concern clearly exists about children and mental illnesses.
Some concern is focused on whether too many children are being put too quickly on medication.
But in many cases, medication is the right choice. Lack of treatment, as well as the wrong treatment, can put a child s future at risk. It will help close the gap between research and practice. NAMI s Help and Hope booklet will be part of the tool kit for that effort. Now you may join the NAMI E-News Alert Listing and have all of the latest mental health updates delivered to your email account.