Speak Up for Kids!
May 7, 2012 in Blog Post, Events, Mental Health
As part of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, you can make a difference in your community for children who may not be getting the mental health services they need. Participate in the nationwide Speak Up for Kids Campaign in partnership with the Child Mind Institute, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and others. The campaign recruits psychologists and other mental health professionals to give presentations in their local communities about various mental, emotional, behavioral and learning disorders in children and teens. Presentations will be scheduled during National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, May 6-12, 2012.
An estimated 15 million young people in the United States have a diagnosable mental or emotional health disorder but studies report that up to 80 percent will never receive treatment. As many psychologists see firsthand, lack of information and stigma prevent many parents from seeking help for children who need mental health care. One way to break down this barrier is to educate parents and teachers about mental and emotional health disorders and other issues related to raising healthy, happy kids.
The new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control last week on autism were absolutely arresting. In their latest survey, 1 in 88 American children were found diagnosed with autism and related disorders. One in 54 American boys, on the autism spectrum.
Most of us are familiar with the problem: too many Americans are living without health coverage to pay for care that can keep them healthy. In Minnesota, the problem is no different; over 480,000 Minnesotans lack health insurance. What you may not realize, however, is that over 60% of them are actually eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, the health coverage programs offered by the state.*
The picture of hunger in America is changing. In the past, hunger may have conjured up images of gaunt faces or rail-thin children. Today, some people who struggle to feed their families are actually obese.
The definition of disability varies often based on the purpose of the data obtained and the mechanism used for data collection. For example, the 
