Celebrate National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

April 16, 2009 – Celebrated on May 7, 2009, Awareness Day is a day for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the initiatives and communities it supports to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families.  Awareness Day raises the knowledge of effective programs for children's mental health needs, demonstrates the effects of children's mental health initiatives, and shows how children with mental health needs can thrive in their communities.

This year’s theme is “Thriving in the Community,” which emphasizes how high school youth who receive the services they need are more likely to have positive outcomes, such as better grades, and less likely to have negative outcomes, such as involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems. 

To help plan local activities, the Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health Campaign developed the Awareness Day Planning Notebook.  This technical assistance tool contains tips, resources, and ideas to help shape Awareness Day activities. 

In addition, the Technical Assistance Partnership website offers Awareness Day educational materials, flyers, and posters.  There are also opportunities to sign up for social networking and other ways to connect with others around children's mental health issues.

Source: Technical Assistance Partnership website, Awareness Day webpage.