Services for Children & Adolescents with Mental Health Problems

Children and adolescents with unaddressed mental health issues are at risk for developmental problems and poor lifestyle choices that continue to negatively affect their lives into adulthood. If your child or young adult has mental health problems, it is important to have an idea of the kinds of professional resources and services you can access to receive assistance. Addressing mental health issues can help your child or teenager make healthier life choices, and may even save his or her life.

Effects of Mental Health Problems

• Mental health problems can have a devastating effect on your child's life. Some of the negative outcomes related to untreated issues include failure to complete high school or college, unplanned pregnancies, abuse of drugs and alcohol and chronic unemployment. Children and young adults may suffer from the inability to develop relationships and even be at higher risk for criminal behavior.

Risk of Suicide

• The most serious concern for children and adolescents with mental health problems is the risk of suicide. According to Mental Health America, suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents, with approximately 5,000 young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 committing suicide each year. Signs that a child with mental health problems may be considering suicide include dramatic changes in sleeping, eating, grooming or school habits, an obsessive interest in death, excessive feelings of guilt or shame and threats of suicide.

Support Groups

• Support groups can offer valuable services to children with mental health disorders. Some support groups have mental health professionals like psychiatrists and psychologists available to write prescriptions and moderate group therapy. Support groups can also help adolescents cope with feelings of depression and isolation by allowing them to share feelings and fears with age-appropriate peer groups.

Medical Intervention

• Children and adolescents with mental health problems may need access to services that offer more intensive care than a support group. Licensed psychologists may be needed for counseling, and depending on the nature of the mental illness, a psychiatrist may be needed to address mental health problems with prescribed medications. For families without health coverage, community-based youth services are good options for getting qualified assistance for mental health problems. Low-income families can also apply for Medicaid and state-funded, low-cost health insurance programs to access insurance benefits for mental health services.

Paying for Psychiatric Medications

• There are services available for people with inadequate health insurance coverage to help them pay for psychiatric medications for their children. Psychiatric medications can be expensive, and they usually need to be taken at least once per day over months or years. Services that help individuals find prescription assistance include Mental Health America, your state Medicaid office, the Medicare Rights Center and the Partnership for Prescription Assistance.