Each year in honor of Awareness Day, SAMHSA releases new reports
that share critical findings related to the issues showcased at the national
event. On May 5, SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and
Quality debuted its report “Adolescent Mental Health Service Use and
Reasons for Using Services in Specialty, Educational and General Medical
Settings,” which examines where and how adolescents most often
connect with behavioral health services.
SAMHSA also released a 2016 short report called “Increasing Access
to Behavioral Health Services and Supports through Systems of Care,”
which demonstrates how systems of care leverage community-based
partnerships with schools, law enforcement, and others to improve access
to children’s mental health services. The report shows that both youth and
caregivers benefit from improved access to services.
SAMHSA debuted a new data
report on Awareness Day.
“Not every day is going to be the same. Some days will be
harder than others, but it’s those little pockets of hope and
support in your life that give you the motivation to keep going.
That’s your hope.”
– Victoria Cantwell, Santa Fe Young Adult
The bottom line: Children and youth involved in systems of care do better
in school, are less likely to be involved with the law enforcement and
juvenile justice systems, and are less likely to think about ending their own
lives and to take action on those thoughts.
2016 FINAL REPORT
5