May 7th is Child Mental Health Awareness Day

May 7, 2024

Join CAHMI in celebrating the possibilities for promoting positive mental health and flourishing of children by promoting family, school, and community positive childhood experiences!

Check out CAHMI research findings, get access to new national and state data and leverage tools to engage families and build on existing system strengths—like the primary care well-visit to promote child and family mental health today!

Did You Know?

Whole Child Approaches Are Essential: The prevalence of child mental health conditions can vary four-fold depending on their social and relational contexts.

Learn more here.

Prioritize Promoting Positive Health: Despite facing mental health challenges and relational health risks like adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), children can flourish! Promoting family resilience and parent-child connections and other positive childhood experiences is the key. Learn more here.

Reducing Risks Is Not the Same as Promoting Flourishing: Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) focus on fostering safe and nurturing relationships, which are crucial especially during challenging times. Without PCEs, most children do not flourish, regardless of the absence of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Learn more here.

Hot Off the Press! A new multi-state study reports that just over half of adults (53.1%) experience high levels (6-7) of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), closely aligning with our 2019 JAMA Pediatrics study's findings of 52.3%. Our research shows that adults with 6-7 PCEs, compared to those with 0-2, have 72% lower adjusted odds of experiencing depression or poor mental health, and a 350% increase in odds of having strong adult social and emotional support. These findings call for early action to promote PCEs. Keep reading below or go to our website to see the EnAct! framework focused on achieving this vision!

Listen to an NPR clip on PCEs

Get Data for Your State!

www.childhealthdata.org

Explore CAHMI’s Data Resource Center for easy “point-and-click” access to state-specific and subgroup data on child mental health!

Learn how prevalence of child mental health conditions are much more likely among children who are exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences.

See this.

Learn how school readiness among children ages 3-5 varies when families are supported to stay resilient (feel hopeful, see their strengths, stay connected when things are hard).

See this.

The DRC is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Engage Families to Promote Child Mental Health

www.cycleofengagement.org

Check out the CAHMI’s Cycle of Engagement Well Visit Planner family engagement tools to engage families and personalize services to promote infant, child and family mental health!

Watch this short video to learn more:

Lead to Build An Integrated Child Health System Focused on Child Flourishing!

Check out the Engagement In Action Framework (EnAct!) for advancing “Through Any Door” statewide integrated child health systems. EnAct! focused on promoting child flourishing, family resilience, and health equity by fostering collaboration across systems!

EnAct! features an implementation roadmap, a policy playbook and set of “Possibility Prototypes” that illustrate how all early childhood system partners can effectively engage families and partner to support child mental health and flourishing!

Learn More Here

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