Mental health is an essential component of overall health. Mental health challenges—from individual symptoms to diagnosed conditions—impact all children, adolescents and families.
Pediatricians are an important first resource for parents and caregivers who are worried about their child's emotional and behavioral health or who want to promote healthy mental development.
Mental Health Overview
More than 14 million children and adolescents in the United States, or 1 in 5, have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents has increased over time. In children aged 6-17 years, the rate of ever being diagnosed with anxiety or depression was 5.4% in 2003, 8% in 2007, and 8.4% in 2011-2012 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In 2018, suicide was reported as the 2nd leading cause of death among children and adolescents ages 10-24 (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Of those that seek treatment for a mental health disorder, only 20% receive needed services.
The AAP supports a developmental approach to children’s mental health that encompasses primary prevention through promoting social-emotional health and safe, nurturing relationships; secondary prevention through screening, identification and assessment; and tertiary prevention through treatment and co-management with mental health professionals.
AAP Recommendations
The AAP provides recommendations and guidelines to support pediatricians and other health professionals working to address mental health concerns and promote healthy mental development.
Resources
The resources below provide information and guidance on how pediatricians and health care providers can support healthy mental development of children, adolescents and families.
Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) Program
The PMHCA program aims to build the capacity of pediatricians and other pediatric primary care professionals to support the mental, behavioral and mental health needs of children, adolescents and families, and effectively connect with PMHCA programs for teleconsultation and support.
Contact Us
The Mental Health Initiative welcomes your comments and questions. Please feel free to contact us.
Get Involved
These AAP groups and programs are involved in Healthy Mental Development.
Mental Health Email List
Stay informed by joining the AAP Mental Health Initiatives group email list.
Podcasts and Voices Blogs
Learn what others are saying. Listen to our podcasts and read our blog posts.
Preventing Maltreatment of Children, Treating ADHD in the Medical Home – Episode 215
In this episode John Stirling, MD, FAAP, explains the guidance in The Pediatrician’s Role in Preventing Child Maltreatment: Clinical Report. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Edward Curry, MD, FAAP, about diagnosing and treating ADHD in busy medical practices.
Pediatrics on Call
|August 27, 2024
Trauma-informed Care and Relational Health, Using AI in Pediatrics – Episode 214
In this episode R.J. Gillespie, MD, MHPE, FAAP, and Amy King, PhD, offer strategies for assessing relational health to provide trauma-informed care. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Srinivasan Suresh, MD, MBA, FAAP, and Sanghamitra Misra, MD, MEd, FAAP, about using artificial intelligence and large language models responsibly in pediatric practice and education.
Pediatrics on Call
|August 20, 2024
Food Allergies, Hospital Pediatrics Mental Health Special – Episode 202
In this episode David Stukus, MD, FAAP, and Rajitha Venkatesh, MD, MPH, FAAP, promote food allergy awareness with a conversation about new strategies for diagnosing and treating several conditions. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Christopher Russell, MD, MS, FAAP, about a special issue of the journal Hospital Pediatrics, focusing on mental health.
Pediatrics on Call
|May 13, 2024
Supporting Families After the Death of a Child, Antidepressant Dispensing Disparities, Preventing Vaping – Ep. 198
In this episode Arwa Nasir, MBBS, MS, MPH, FAAP, chair of the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health (COPACFH), describes a recent clinical report on supporting the family after the death of a child. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Kao-Ping Chua, MD, PhD, FAAP, about his research on the dispensing of antidepressants to adolescents and young adults. And Lindy McGee, MD, FAAP, contributes a “Giving Voice” segment about e-cigarette use within the pediatric population.
Pediatrics on Call
|April 16, 2024
Identifying Suicide Risk, Food Insecurity Discrimination – Episode 187
In this episode Maria Rahmandar, MD, FAAP, explains ways pediatricians can identify suicide risk in adolescents. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also talk with medical student Alexis Cacioppo about how food insecurity in caregivers can lead to discrimination
Pediatrics on Call
|January 16, 2024
Mental and Behavioral Health Emergencies, Medical Debriefing – Episode 169
In this episode Lois K. Lee, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACEP, and Mohsen Saidinejad, MD, MBA FAAP, talk about the new policy statement and technical report on mental and behavioral health emergencies. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Maya Neeley, MD, FAAP, about the best ways to debrief trainees after clinical encounters.
Pediatrics on Call
|August 22, 2023
Last Updated
07/17/2023
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics