Children's mental health problems can have grave consequences such as school failure, family discord, alcohol and other drug use, or violence. In addition, children's mental health problems can limit children's future productivity as well as having as serious economic impact on families, communities and the health care system. Stress, violence, and abuse can have grave consequences on children and adolescents' mental health and their ability to interact competently with their families, schools and communities. Raising public awareness about children's mental health issues may improve early help seeking behaviors and, thereby, may contribute to preventing serious emotion disturbances from occurring or worsening. Appropriate services are culturally competent, accessible, high-quality mental health systems of care, which include treatment and support services and involve families and communities.
Stigma often acts as a barrier to early help and causes isolation and discrimination.
The messages of this campaign will be based on the best information known to CMHS, compiled from the most current knowledge gained from model programs, professional consensus and science-based research. Mental health problems of children and adolescents are currently under-recognized and mental health services are under utilized. Mental Health Problems for children and adolescents refers to the range of all diagnosable emotional, behavioral and mental disorders.