Improving Lives, Avoiding Tragedies
The recent tragedy in Arizona
reminds us all of the importance of the early identification of mental illness
and the critical need for intervention with effective services and supports. Serious mental illness impacts large numbers
of our nation’s youth. Mental illness is treatable and the best outcomes occur
with early identification and intervention. We can avoid the tragic and costly
consequences of unidentified and untreated mental illness in youth by taking
action. We can and should do far better for our nation’s youth.
The Facts
·
13% of youth aged 8-15 live with mental illness severe
enough to cause significant impairment in their day-to-day lives.[i]
This figure jumps to 21 percent in youth aged 13-18.[ii]
·
Half
of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and three quarters by
age 24. Early identification and intervention improve outcomes for children,
before these conditions become far more serious, more costly and difficult to
treat.[iii]
·
Despite the
availability of effective treatment, there are average delays of 8 to 10 years
between the onset of symptoms and intervention—critical developmental years in
the life of a child. [iv] In
our nation, only about 20% of youth with mental illness receive
treatment.[v]
·
Unidentified and untreated mental illness is associated
with serious consequences for children, families and communities:[vi]
○
Approximately 50% of students aged 14 and older
with mental illness drop out of high school—the highest dropout rate of any
disability group.[vii]
○
90% of those who die by suicide have a mental
illness.[viii]
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24; more youth
and young adults die from suicide than from all natural causes combined.[ix]
○
70% of youth in state and local juvenile justice
systems have mental illness, with at least 20% experiencing severe symptoms. At
the same time, juvenile facilities fail to adequately address the mental health
needs of youth in their custody.[x]
We Need Action
There have been repeated calls by major non-partisan
institutions for a national commitment
to the early identification of mental health conditions and intervention with
effective services and supports.
·
In June 2010, the American Academy
of Pediatrics called for all pediatricians to screen children and adolescents
for mental illness and substance use.
·
In April 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force called for physicians across the country to screen for depression in
adolescents aged 12-18 because of the failure to identify this serious
condition in youth.[xi]
·
In 2009, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) called
for schools, primary care, community-based
organizations, child welfare and juvenile justice systems and political leaders
to make prevention of mental illness and the promotion of mental health in
youth a national priority.
·
In July 2003, the President’s New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health called for early mental health screening,
assessment and referral to services to be common
practice.
It is time to turn these calls to action into reality. By
identifying children and youth struggling with serious mental illness and
providing treatment, we can improve the lives of the next generation and avoid
unnecessary tragedies.
Coalition
Partners
American
Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
American
School Counselor
Association (ASCA)
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF)
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
Mental Health America (MHA)
National Alliance
on Mental Illness (NAMI)
February 2011
Tulare Co.
Improving Lives, Avoiding Tragedies
