May 3-9 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, now through May 9, is a time to raise public awareness about the challenges and causes important to children's behavioral health, and to highlight the importance of positive mental health from birth. Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, the official observance day, is tomorrow, Thursday, May 7.

For over 20 years, Deschutes County Health Services has offered mental health and substance abuse services to young children, youth, and young adults. These services help young people meet their goals at home, at school, and in the community.  Research shows that children, families and young adults (ages 18—25) taking part in community-based treatment programs, achieve positive outcomes in behavioral and emotional health, daily life skills, employment, enrollment in school, and reduced homelessness.

“Awareness Day is an opportunity for us to join with more than a thousand communities across the country in celebrating the positive impact that we can have on the lives of children, youth and young adults when we are able to integrate positive mental health into every environment,” said Deschutes County Health Service Director, Jane Smilie. “When we focus on building resilience and social-emotional skills in young children from birth, we can help young children, youth, and their families-thrive.”

In Deschutes County, each and every day hundreds of children, families and youth are served through a variety of behavioral health programs:

1. Outpatient services in Bend, Redmond and La Pine

2. School-based services in the Bend-La Pine, Redmond and Sisters School Districts

3. Behavioral health services in five integrated school-based health centers in Bend, La Pine, Redmond (2) and Sisters

4. Safe School Assessments through referrals from any school in Deschutes County as well as suicide prevention activities

5. KIDS Center therapeutic services for child victims of child abuse, trauma and neglect

6. Intensive Child Treatment Services (ICTS) - Intensive wrap-around services for youth with serious emotional and behavioral challenges requiring comprehensive support services

7. Mediation services for divorcing parents with minor children

8. Chemical dependency services including assessment, screening and referral, as well as individual work with dually-diagnosed youth

9. The Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA) Program - An early psychosis program offering education, outreach and services to youth, young adults and their families experiencing a first psychotic break

10. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for parents and at-risk children ages 2 to 7 years of age.