Internet Resource List for Children’s Mental Health
NAMI Child & Adolescent Action Center
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This site will give you valuable resources regarding Mental Health. Check them out!
General Mental Health Websites
Web address: www.cdc.gov
CMS administers the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) programs.
OSERS web site includes a wide array of information for families, school districts and states in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation and research.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a national campaign to link the nation’s 10 million uninsured children – from birth to 18 years – to free and low-cost health insurance.
Web address: www.insurekidsnow.gov/
Maternal and Child Health Library (MCH)
The Maternal Child Health Library (MCH) has an on-line web site designed to help service providers and families find available national, state, and local resources that can address child and family needs, including mental health resources. To learn more about locating services for your child or understanding which services to look for, visit Knowledge Path: Locating Community-Based Services to Support Children and Families at Website address: www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_community.html
The mission of NIMH is to diminish the burden of mental illness through research.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
OJJDP’s mission is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to the needs of individuals in the juvenile justice system. OJJDP supports states and local communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs. The agency also works to improve the juvenile justice system.
In 1999, Surgeon General David Satcher displayed true leadership in issuing A Comprehensive Report on mental health – chapter 3 covers children and adolescents.
The Commission was created to examine the current gaps in mental illness treatment services and to make recommendations to the President on ways in which the federal government can help states increase access to care and improve quality in their public programs.
Information and resources on autism.
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law works on a broad array of children's mental health issues.
The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) is a parent-led, web-based membership organization of families raising children diagnosed with, or at risk for, early-onset bipolar disorder. The web site includes information and resources on early-onset bipolar disorder.
CHADD is a national organization representing individuals with AD/HD in providing education, advocacy and support to individuals and families. The organization is composed of dedicated volunteers from around the country who play an integral part in the organization by providing resources and encouragement to families, educators and professionals.
CDF’s mission is to provide a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. CDF addresses the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF’s mission is also to educate the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick or into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown.
CWLA is the nation's oldest membership-based child welfare organization committed to engaging people everywhere in promoting the well-being of children, youth, and their families, and protecting every child from harm.
The Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) is the official division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) committed to promoting and facilitating the education and general welfare of children and youth with emotional or behavioral disorders.
You may also be interested in accessing the web site for the Council for Exceptional Children which includes information related to special education.
Web address: www.cec.sped.org
The Federation of Families is dedicated to providing education, resources and information to children with mental health needs and their families.
Web address: www.ffcmh.org
National Health Law Program (NHelp)
The National Health Law Program has a number of excellent publications, resources and information on Medicaid and other important health-related topics.
NMHA is an advocacy, education and support organization working to address the needs of people with mental health related needs and mental illnesess.
Information and resources available on obsessive compulsive disorder.
The Youth Law Center employs staff attorneys that investigate reports of abuse of children in adult jails, juvenile detention facilities, state institutions, and child welfare systems, and uses training, technical assistance and negotiation to bring about needed change. If abusive conditions or practices continue, the Center uses litigation as a last resort to protect children and ensure humane treatment.
In 1995, 2 national training and technical assistance centers focused on mental health in schools were established with partial support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Mental Health Services. One center is at UCLA and the other is at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. The web sites include information and resources on school-based mental health programs.
Web address: www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu/ (UCLA)
Web address: www.umaryland.edu/csmha2001/main.php3 (U of MD at Baltimore)
The IDEA Partnership is dedicated to improving outcomes for students and youth with disabilities by joining state agencies and stakeholders through shared work and learning. The web site includes many helpful resources for schools, families and advocates.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
NICHCY is an information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues (including mental illnesses) for families, educators, and other professionals, with a special focus on children and youth -- birth to age 22.
Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers
The Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers is an innovative project that supports a unified technical assistance system for the purpose of developing, assisting and coordinating Parent Training and Information Projects and Community Parent Resource Centers under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Web address: www.taalliance.org
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law
The Wrightslaw web site is designed for families, advocates, educators, and attorneys looking for accurate, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities, including those with mental illnesses.
Web address: www.wrightslaw.com
The primary mission of the foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s vulnerable children and families. The foundation makes grants that help states, cities, and communities develop more innovative, cost-effective responses to the needs of these families. Annie E. Casey has generously funded projects that focus on the mental health needs of children and adolescents.
Web address: www.aecf.org
The Kaiser Family Foundation is an independent foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the nation. The Foundation is an independent voice and source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public. The Kaiser Foundation has excellent resources on the Medicaid program.
The MacArthur Foundation is a grant-making institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. The Foundation seeks the development of healthy individuals and effective communities and has funded projects focused on children’s mental health and juvenile justice reform. The Foundation pursues its mission by supporting research, policy development, dissemination, education and training, and practice.
Web address: www.aacap.org
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
American Psychological Association (APA)
American School Counselors Association (ASCA)
Web address: www.schoolcounselor.org/index.cfm
American School Health Association (ASHA)
Web address: www.ashaweb.org
Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ)
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) provides information and resources on delinquency prevention and juvenile justice issues. CJJ’s annual report for 2000, entitled Handle With Care: Serving the Mental Health Needs of Young Offenders, focused on the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. More information about the publication is available on CJJ’s web site.
Web address: www.juvjustice.org/
National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)
Web address: www.nasdse.org
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD)
Child, Youth and Families Division
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Web address: www.nasponline.org/index2.html
National Governor’s Association (NGA)
The NGA has developed a series of fact sheets and resources on mental health issues. To access these resources, click on “NGA Center for Best Practices”, then in “Areas of Interest” click on “Health Division” then click on “Mental Health.”
Web address: www.nga.org
The Center offers a broad array of information, reports and publications addressing children’s mental health, with a particular emphasis on the systems of care model.
Columbia University TeenScreen Program
The Carmel Hill Center at Columbia University operates the TeenScreen® Program and the Positive Action for Teen Health (PATH) initiative. The TeenScreen program creates partnerships with communities across the nation to implement early-identification programs for suicide and mental illness in youth. The program staff includes mental health, public policy, and training experts that are available to help schools, mental health professionals, parents, community groups, and policymakers to raise awareness about the problem of youth depression and suicide risk, the benefits of mental health screening, and to help implement screening programs.
Web address: www.teenscreen.org
Foundation to support expanded research of early onset bipolar disorder. Information for parents and professionals.
Web address: www.bpchildresearch.org
Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
Multisystemic therapy is an innovative method for delivering mental health and substance abuse services to children and their families. MST is an intensive family- and community-based treatment that addresses the multiple determinants of behavior in youth. The multisystemic approach views individuals as being nested within a complex network of interconnected systems that encompass individual, family, and extrafamilial (peer, school, neighborhood) factors. It is increasingly being recognized as an evidence-based best-practice approach to treatment for youth with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
Web address: www.mstservices.com
Academic Centers Focusing on Children’s Mental Health
Center for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health
Peter Jensen, M.D. directs this center dedicated to a variety of issues related to children and adolescents with mental illnesses. Dr. Jensen’s center is located at Columbia University.
Web address: www.kidsmentalhealth.org
Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice
The Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice is dedicated to providing expert guidance to juvenile justice settings regarding best practices for mental health assessment and referral. This center is located at Columbia University.
Web address: www.promotementalhealth.org
Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida -- The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health
The goal of the RTC is to improve services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disabilities (SED) and their families by strengthening the knowledge base for effective services and systems of care.
Web address: www.rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/
Georgetown University Child Development Center -- National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Since 1984, the technical assistance center has been dedicated to working in partnership with families and many other leaders across this country to reform services for children and adolescents who have, or are at risk for, mental health problems and their families.
Web address: www.georgetown.edu/research/gucdc/cassp.html
New York University Child Study Center
Web address: www.aboutourkids.org
Portland Research and Training Center, Portland State University – The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health
The Center promotes effective community-based, culturally competent, family-centered services for families and their children who are, or may be affected by mental, emotional or behavioral disorders. The web site includes publications and an excellent newsletter – Focal Point.
Web address: www.rtc.pdx.edu
Information on NAMI Education Courses
Breaking the Silence (BTS)(Developed by NAMI Queens/Nassau)
This program includes classroom lesson plans for grades 4 through 12 that are designed to destigmatize mental illnesses. The curriculum meets national health education standards and fulfills the Safe Schools against Violence in Education Act (SAVE) promoting tolerance, anti-bullying and character development. Through the curriculum students learn that mental illnesses are real illnesses and not a character flaw. They learn that mental illnesses are treatable and about the warning signs. Students also learn how to fight the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. BTS lesson plans are being used in at least 32 states and orders continue to come in. The program administrators are compiling a database and will have more detailed information about the school locations using the BTS lesson plans soon – stay tuned.
Please visit the BTS web site, where there is a lot more information about the program.
Web address: www.btslessonplans.org
Contact: NAMI Queens/Nassau (ph: 516-326-0797, email: btslessonplans@aol.com)
Hope for Tomorrow (Developed by NAMI Utah)
Hope for Tomorrow is a mental health education program for parents, teachers, students and all who work with children and adolescents. The program is designed to provide information and life skills training to youth by combining the efforts of parents, teachers, and the community to equip children to better deal with life today and tomorrow through mental well being. The program consists of three parts – Part 1 is an introduction to mental health; Part 2 covers eating disorders; and Part 3 discusses addictive disorders. The demand for the program has been great in the state of Utah – elementary school counselors have expressed great interest in using the program because they are seeing more young students with mood and eating disorders. Also, demand has increased in rural communities in the state. NAMI Utah has also received requests from neighboring states to bring the program there.
For more information on the program, please visit NAMI Utah’s web site.
Web address: www.namiut.org
Parents and Teachers as Allies (Developed by NAMI National)
At the request of NAMI state and affiliate leaders -- Dr. Joyce Burland, who wrote the Parents and Teachers as Allies publication, has created an outline (based on her publication) for an In-Service Teacher Training program. The program is designed as a series of topics that can be used in an in-service training program for teachers and other school personnel. NAMI state and affiliate leaders are currently piloting the program and NAMI national is expanding the program. Marcia Mathes a children’s advocate with NAMI Greater Orlando – has agreed to serve as a resource for other state and affiliate leaders who may be interested in using the publication as a tool for an in-service education program for school professionals. If you would like more information, please email Marcia at mmmathes@earthlink.net
Or for more information, please contact Patricia Braun in the NAMI National Child & Adolescent Action Center (email: patriciab.org, ph: 703-600-1110).
Better Todays, Better Tomorrows. (Developed by NAMI Idaho and formerly Red Flags Idaho)
This program is designed to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of mental illness in children and youth among caregivers, including police, local officials, parents, foster parents, teachers, counselors and community members who care about children and youth. It is also designed to reduce stigma surrounding mental illnesses in children and youth in their schools and communities. The program is also designed to increase treatment-seeking behavior among adults who care for children and youth. To learn more about the programs, visit the NAMI Idaho web site at www.nami.org/
Web Address: www.nami.org/sites/NAMIIDAHO
Hand to Hand (Developed by AMI of Greater Toledo, Ohio)
Hand to Hand is an eight-week education program designed to foster learning, healing and empowerment among families of children with emotional/mental/neurobiological disorders. This course is similar to Family to Family in structure and goals, with each week of the curriculum dedicated to a particular aspect of having a child with a mental illness. To find out more about the course visit the NAMI Ohio web site.
Web address: www.namiohio.org (click on “programs,” then click on ”children’s programs”)
Visions for Tomorrow (Developed by NAMI Texas)
Visions for Tomorrow consists of a series of workshops for direct primary caregivers of children and adolescents with brain disorders. Teachers of the program are trained family members who have experienced firsthand the rewards and challenges of raising children with brain disorders. The course offers caregivers an opportunity to share mutual experiences and learn valuable lessons from one another. The program covers educational material and provides the basics for day-to-day care giving skills. The program has been widely disseminated and used by many NAMI state and affiliate offices across the country. The Visions program has been used in over 28 states and by many NAMI state and affiliate leaders. The program continues to grow as NAMI state and affiliate leaders use it as a tool to reach families with children with mental illnesses.
For more information on the program, please visit the NAMI Texas web site.
Web address: www.namitexas.org (click on “programs”)
Contact: Pennie Hall, Program Coordinator, pennie@texami.org
Please note: If there is a resource that you would like added to this list, please contact Darcy Gruttadaro, Director – NAMI Child & Adolescent Action Center (ph: 703-516-7965, email: darcy@nami.org). Thanks.