Students' struggles with college mental health services are leading to some important changes, as WireTap's Annie Robinson reports.

A new report from the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine finds that physical activity among adolescents has decreased in the past 10 years and rates of chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes, have increased. The report also found that, although 10-20 percent of adolescents annually experience a mental health disorder such as anxiety or depression, their access to specialized mental health care has decreased.

Young people with emotional or mental illness risk an abrupt interruption in or loss of services when they age out of the child mental health system at age 18 or 21. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Partnerships for Youth Transition Initiative brought together systems and resources in five sites to serve transition-age youth. This brief looks at the results, what’s next for federal and state policy, and what communities can do to support these young people.

Data indicate the incidence of depressive symptoms in youth increases during adolescence and peaks during young adulthood. Depression affects physiological and social functioning, interpersonal relationships, employment, substance abuse, and indicates a "more dissatisfied life." Young people ages 18-24 living below the poverty line were more likely (8 percent) to report suffering from two or more symptoms of depression in the past 30 days than their peers living at or above poverty (5 percent).

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen someone through depression—but a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health offers evidence that teens who struggle with depression are at risk of poorer school/work performance and educational attainment. The findings emphasize the importance of primary care clinicians' attention to depression and its accompanying limitations.

This policy paper, written by Zero to Three and UCLA, examines the impact of maternal depression on the social and emotional health of young children, and recommends specific steps that family support programs, early childhood programs, and public health officials can take to address the unmet mental health needs of mothers, ultimately promoting the social and emotional health, school readiness, and future functioning of very young children.

Whether a trauma happens in a family, a community or a country, children respond differently and need different supports to heal and adapt. Fortunately, the Web offers a wide world of resources, and Connect for Kids has collected some of the best.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a series of training packages for a Mental Health Friendly Classroom.

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.

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.