Children's Mental Health Information and Resources

Anxiety:  All children experience anxiety and a certain amount of anxiety during childhood is normal and expected.  However, when the level of anxiety no longer fits the situation, or when anxiety and stress begin to interfere with relationships or functioning at home, school, or elsewhere, professional evaluation and treatment may be required.   For more information the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers information, resources, and guidance regarding children, stress, and anxiety. 

• Aggression
• Anxiety
• Bullying
• Childhood Trauma
• Depression
• Disruptive Behavior
• Finding a Therapist
• Medication
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism
• Services
• Substance Abuse
• Suicide (Connecticut Youth Suicide Advisory Board)

Depression:  Children can and do suffer from depression but will also respond positively to appropriate treatment.  Outpatient clinics for children in CT provide a range of psychotherapies for children who are depressed.  WebMD provides a good overview of childhood depression and both the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  The American Psychological Association offers a host of resources on this topic.  

Disruptive Behavior:  No child or youth is perfect and some degree of challenging behavior is to be expected at one or more points during childhood.  Children do not always do what they are asked to do and may occasionally exhibit tantrums or be oppositional towards rules and directions.  When disobedient, defiant, assaultive, or anti-social rule breaking behavior happens more frequently, becomes dangerous or harmful, or interferes with the child's relationships with families, peers, or others, help may be required.

Disruptive Behavior Disorders are a group of problem behaviors most often observed in boys and that affect 5-9% of children in the US.  In many cases a child may also have other problems as well.   Disruptive Behavior Disorders include:

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Depression
• Conduct Disorder, and
• Disruptive Behavior Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.

Several successful approaches to the treatment of Disruptive Behavior Disorders have been identified and treatment often depends on the age of the child and whether other problems are present. For further information on ODD and other disorders please visit the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or seek assistance from a private practitioner or one of CT's licensed outpatient psychiatric clinics for children.

• Childhood Trauma
• Aggression
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism
• Substance Abuse
• Finding a Therapist
• Medication

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Improvement Projects and Research

• ACF Trauma Grant
• SAMHSA Service to Science (EMPS)
• NIDA Evaluation of MDFT
• Evaluation of Project Safe Recovery Support Pilots
• Evaluation of FBR
• Community Mental Health Block Grant
• Data Infrastructure Grant (DIG)
• CCSU/CHDI Grant - Children of Incarcerated parents

• Promoting Family Engagement with Outpatient Mental Health Clinics    
• Disseminating/supporting Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Promoting Improved Network and Fidelity Management Processes with Intensive In-Home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services
• Transition Family Support Teams to MDT
• Developing Data Dashboards for Services

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