Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania is pleased to announce Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on Tuesday, May 3. The Allegheny County Department of Human Services will be planning Awareness Day activities throughout the month of May.

A project of The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day began in 2005 as a grassroots initiative designed to demonstrate that children with mental health needs can thrive in their communities. This year’s national theme is “Building Resilience for Young Children Dealing with Trauma.”

According to SAMHSA’s website:

As resilient as children may be, they can — even at an early age — experience trauma that can have long-term effects on their behavioral health. Research shows that when exposed to traumatic events, even children as young as 18 months can develop serious psychological problems later in childhood and in adulthood. As they grow, these children take with them the effects of traumatic events, and are more likely to experience problems with substance abuse, depression, and stress management as a result.

Click here to read about childhood trauma’s impact on health risks.

Communities around the country will be holding Awareness Day events. To learn more about national Awareness Day efforts, visit SAMHSA's Awareness Day website. .

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