Asking high school students if they have ever tried or through about suicide does not appear to put them at risk of doing so, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

CFK reports from: Capitol Hill
Event: Congressional Briefing on Mental Health Services and Former Foster Care Youth
Organized by: The Casey Family Programs, Harvard Medical School and New America Foundation
Where/When: Washington, D.C., April 6, 2005

On April 6, 2005 Harvard Medical School and Casey Family Programs held a Congressional briefing on mental health services and former foster care youth to release the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study.

PlayJourneys promotes growth and healing for children, adults and families by providing excellence in play therapy and mental health services in a child- and adult-friendly environment. PlayJourneys is dedicated to promoting growth and excellence in the field of play therapy by providing educational workshops and supervision in play therapy.

The Center was created to promote awareness of the mental health needs of youth in contact with the juvenile justice system and to assist the field in developing improved policies and practices to respond to these needs based on the best available research and practice.

This documentary focuses on the struggles facing Texas children with mental illnesses, including the obstacles and painful choices facing families with a loved one suffering from mental illness as well as the daily struggles of mental health advocates, service providers and policymakers trying to help youth get appropriate treatment.

Published by the American Correctional Association (2002), this book by Lisa Boesky, Ph.D. not only has information on screening/assessment and mental health treatment, but also describes how to recognize and manage juveniles with ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Psychosis, Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Suicide, Self-Mutilation, and other mental health issues to help juvenile justice personnel understand what they are seeing and how to deal with difficult behaviors. A study guide is currently in development.

Since 1954 Family Services of Westchester has been working to strengthen and support families and individuals at every stage of the life cycle with a wide range of mental health and social services at sites around the county. Youth programs include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Camp Viva for families living with HIV/AIDS, Early Head Start/Head Start, Family Mental Health, Supported Youth Residences, Therapeutic Foster Care, and Westchester County Youth Council.

About 1.3 million new cases of cancer were reported in 2003. While there are no firm figures on how many of those diagnosed were the parents of minor children, there's no doubt that each year many kids must face the news that a parent or guardian has cancer.
Letitia Star reports on a program that tries to help.

In a position paper published in January, the Society for Adolescent Medicine noted the need for rigorous research to try to understand the reasons for and the long-run consequences of bullying in elementary and secondary schools in the United States.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has issued "Screening and Assessing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System," an 84-page online guide offering comprehensive, user-friendly information at various stages of the juvenile justice process. It includes profiles of more than 50 instruments, guidelines for selecting instruments, and best practice recommendations for diverse settings and situations.