Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
May 9, 2006, Vol. 06-54

Community-Based Care Leads to Meaningful Improvement for Children and Youth with Serious Mental Healths Need

Children and youth with serious mental health needs make substantial improvements at home, at school, and in the community when served through systems of care that provide community-based services. Data released today by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at a Capitol Hill briefing show that children and youth in systems of care spend less time in inpatient care, experience fewer arrests, make improvements in their overall mental health and do better in school than before enrollment.

A system of care for children's mental health is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person's cultural and linguistic needs.

"Children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families deserve the best care available," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "The systems of care approach is a proven approach that not only helps children thrive in their homes and communities, it is a wise investment of scarce resources."

The SAMHSA data suggest that systems of care save taxpayers money when compared to the traditional mental health service delivery systems. On average, systems of care save public health systems ,776.85 per child in inpatient costs over the course of a year, and save juvenile justice systems $784.16 per child within the same time frame.

These and other data related to key outcomes, such as reductions in suicide-related behaviors and reductions in juvenile detentions or incarcerations can be found by visiting

www.systemsofcare.samhsa.gov.

The Capitol Hill briefing was led by the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as part of the first-ever National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. This day is slated to become an annual event celebrated during the first full week in May, which is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week. May is also Mental Health Month.

The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families is a SAMHSA initiative. Since its authorization in 1992, the program has funded a total of 121 programs across the United States that have helped transform the way in which treatment and care are provided to children with mental health needs and their families.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery system
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.