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PROMOTING THE
MENTAL HEALTH OF
NEW JERSEY'S FAMILIES

Special Edition Newsletter: May is Mental Health Month                Issue 2, May 8, 2013

 
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Did you know...
Young adults with serious mental health challenges have higher rates of unemployment? A 2009 study found that nearly 50 percent of people ages 18 to 25 with serious mental health challenges are employed, compared to 66 percent of people the same age without serious mental health challenges. Learn more about the behavioral health of young adults and pass it on to observe National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: http://1.usa.gov/ZUoyqY
The Prevalence and Importance of
Mental Health Challenges in our Youth
A Message from
Carolyn Beauchamp, MHANJ President and CEO
  
Children face many mental health challenges in today's society. An article on the National Institute of Mental Health's website shares caution and some alarming statistics from the World Health Organization:
  
Mental disorders are the chronic diseases of
young people in our country. The World Health
Organization (WHO) has said that mental
disorders are the number one source of medical
disability for people 15-44 years of age in
the United States and Canada. There are
mental disorders that we associate with
disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder
(ASD). But 50 percent of patients describe
mood and anxiety disorders, generally
considered adult illnesses, as having an onset
by age 14. (2010) Click here to read more.
 
The Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) supports early intervention programs. For example, we recognize the importance of increasing school-based initiatives for our youth and teens to seek counseling at earlier ages. These interventions teach resilience and help us to identify mental health problems in children early-on. They can equip our youth with skills to  be able to know when and how to seek professional help before the problems worsen and help to stave off preconceived notions of stigma that deter people from seeking treatment. Early counseling can make a difference in how young adults handle crises and their own emotional and psychological issues. Including families in these efforts is an important part of strengthening the family system. 
 
With early attention, ongoing support and emotional guidance we are hopeful that the outlook for the mental health of our youth will improve and that they will be prepared for a happy, emotionally healthy adulthood.