Blind Spot Childrens mental health Disturbing statistics In any given year about one out of every five Connecticut children 87500 to 125000 struggles with a mental health condition or substance abuse problem More than half receive no ID: 605927
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Missed early warning signs and children’s mental health
Blind SpotSlide2
Children’s mental health: Disturbing statistics
In any given year, about one out of every five Connecticut children (87,500 to 125,000) struggles with a mental health condition or substance abuse problem. More than half receive no
treatment.Slide3
Early difficulties:Long-term impact
Interrelationship between mental health problems and poor academic outcomes is reflected in limited educational progress from
school entry through secondary school yearsSlide4
Troubling trendsRates for expulsion from pre-school
exceed those of children in Grades 1-12;Connecticut
had one of the highest rates of expulsion from state-funded preschool, with more than 10 students expelled per 1000;Educational, social and behavioral outcomes worse for children with emotional disorders than for any other disability groupSlide5
Josue (Age 15)
Born to 12-year-old motherHistory of early ear infections, auditory and speech problems
Exposed to sexual abuse and domestic violence Age 13 – bipolar disorder, ODD, ADHD, LD Suspension from school Involvement with juvenile justice systemSlide6
Arianna (Age 15)Age 4 – febrile seizures
Severe expressive language delaysVisual processing problemsRetained Grade 4, socially promoted Grades 3,4,5,6,7,8
Grade 6 difficulty with peersSchool suspensions for fightingSlide7
Jaden (Age 14)Sickle Cell trait
Age 1 ½ stopped talkingLimited social reciprocity, echolalia, perseverationAge 7 – rule out Fragile X Syndrome
Grade 4 – deficits expressive languageAge 11 – PDD, Intermittent Explosive DisorderGrade 9 – Language, communication disorders, underlying thought disorder?Slide8
Early warningsAnxiety, depression, information processing problems and academic delays
Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Genetic disorder with elevated levels of anxiety, disruptive behavior, poor anger
managementAttentional issues, multiple suspensions for disruptive behavior, severe attendance problems, expulsion for possession of marijuanaSlide9
Options for screeningBehavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS; ages 3-18) combines information from three sources: parents, teachers, youth (5-10 minutes administration time);
Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2; ages 3+)Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social Emotional
(ASQ-SE; Birth-3)Slide10
RecommendationsImprove screening for mental health risk factors
Improve referral for early intervention, communication and collaboration among service providers Improve community and parent education around mental health risk factors and services available to children and families
Improve training for school staff, medical and other service providers to children and families