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Learn about the symptoms of psychiatric disorders of children and adults and take diagnostic self-assessments. Learn about treatment options and on-line resources including books, articles, on-line support groups. Over 1800 resources are listed, and many of these sites are themselves are searchable and have links. One-half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and despite effective treatments for the disorders, there are long delays between the onset of symptoms and seeking treatment, according to the largest survey ever of the nation's mental health, These treatment delays-which can span decades-lead to more severe and difficult-to-treat illnesses and to co-occurring disorders. And, once people do get treatment, few receive care that meets "minimally accepted standard" for mental health treatment, researchers say. For more information about the study, go to Two 2006 reports from SAMHSA show the relationships between substance abuse and (1) youth employment, and (2) serious psychological distress (SPD) among young males. Employed youth were more likely to engage in substance abuse than unemployed youth, and over 10% of men age 18-25 experienced SPD. EMOTIONAL-BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES IN CHILDREN-STATISTICAL FINDINGS Using data from the 2001-2003 National Health Interview Surveys, the National Center for Health Statistics has compiled a report on the various emotional-behavioral difficulties experienced by about 5% of children ages 4-17 across multiple demographic groups. The report describes the effects those difficulties have on families, friendships, school, and recreational activities. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad360.pdf The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has published this collection of fact sheets on the federal programs that address the wide range of needs of youth with serious mental health conditions who are transitioning into adulthood. Each fact sheet offers information about the program's purpose, services and funded activities, the administering federal agency, grantee and beneficiary eligibility and a brief assessment of the program's impact. For additional information click on the above link. According to a report released by the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, students with disabilities have made significant progress in their transition to adulthood during the past 25 years. However, youth with emotional disturbance did not show the same patterns of gains as youth in other disability groups, and in some areas, youth with emotional disturbances lost ground in post-school outcomes. 15+ MAKE TIME TO LISTEN, TAKE TIME TO TALK.ABOUT BULLYING This segment of the 15+ campaign provides information, resources, and tools to help family members, other caregivers, and professionals who influence children's lives to deter bullying. Also available are tips, resources, and games to help young people understand bullying and learn ways to stop it in themselves and others. The goal of the 15+ initiative is to promote healthy child development and to prevent youth and school-based violence. The U.S. Department of Mental Health has devoted a website of resources for employers on creating and maintaining workplaces that support good mental health practices. For more info click the above link. The Forbes.com website has an article examining the issue of disclosing bipolar disorder in the workplace. The article explores the effects of bipolar disorder, and examines the pros and cons of disclosing the disorder to employers. To read the article in its entirety, use the following link. EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS Employment Supports for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness This fact sheet from Training and Technical Assistance for Providers summarizes seven evidence-based practices that have proven successful in assisting people with severe mental illness in achieving and sustaining employment goals. For more information click the above link. SIGNS OF ADVOCACY IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM: AN ADVOCACY GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING The booklet promotes the idea that self-advocacy is a way to solve problems in everyday life - in restaurants, in places of business, at sporting events, in recreational facilities, in mental health agencies or hospitals. This publication is available in a hard-copy version only. To request a copy of this publication, send an e-mail message to Webmaster@olrs.state.oh.us or call 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181 (toll free in Ohio only). A family guide to keeping youth mentally healthy and drug free. This new website has been developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to communicate to parents and other caring adults about how they can help promote their child's mental health and reduce his or her risk from becoming involved with alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. For more information click the above link. New medical guide about childhood depression a large coalition of medical professionals recently launched ParentsMedGuide.org, a new resource center for parents of children and adolescents with depression. The site offers advice for parents, including a fact sheet on the use of medication in the treatment of childhood depression. For more information click the above link. The web site of the Department of Mental Health, this site provides general information about DMH, its divisions and services, other department programs, a listing of state mental health facilities and community mental health centers, a Calendar of Events, employment opportunities, proposals for bids, information for law enforcement for dealing with mental health issues, the monthly newsletter of DMH, links to news releases on mental health topics, and links to other mental health resources including fact sheets on mental health disorders. The Missouri Institute of Mental Health with the Policy Information Exchange web site. Provides links to the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) Library, reports on mental health policy, upcoming mental health conferences around the world, and links to other mental health resources. The mental health section has articles on addiction and substance abuse, anger, depression, eating disorders, learning disorders, and self-injury—to name a few---as well as information on seeking mental health treatment and choosing a therapist, and legal rights of persons with mental illness. Also useful are the links to numerous other health topics. This site allows you to locate information about physicians in your geographical area either by specialty or by name. By clicking on the “Medical Library” area, you will gain access to a vast collection of medial information, all provided and approved by leading medical societies. The Mental Health section (Under “Diseases and Conditions”) includes articles on Alzheimer’s Disease, Mental Health Issues in Children and the Elderly, Coping with HIV/AIDS, as well as other common psychiatric diagnostic categories. Contains a searchable data base of mental health information, a guide to mental health resources that can be ordered on-line, mental health services for each state, reports of the Surgeon General, and specialized areas for children and adolescents.