Federal Resources

Based on the lessons learned from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative, the toolkit cultivates an approach that has left a legacy of success in schools and communities. This toolkit will show you how partnerships with representatives from sectors including education, law enforcement, mental health, juvenile justice, children’s services, families, and faith-based associations can take Three Bold Steps to create positive lasting change among our nation’s students.

This blog post provides guidance to parents with children who have been recently diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including information on medication and therapy. The blog also provides a list of recommended resources. 

The increased frequency of diagnosis in the past 10 years of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children prompted a review of diagnostic and treatment guidelines for ADHD that resulted in new recommended best practices for evaluating and treating adolescents with ADHD. These guidelines point to a need for adolescents with ADHD to take an active role in their own diagnosis and treatment.

CDC's overview topic page on adolescent health, including alcohol, tobacco, and substance use; adolescent injuries; and youth violence.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world’s largest, ongoing telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States yearly since 1984. Currently, data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.

This booklet was created to assist parents and caregivers in helping youth cope with disasters and emergencies. The guide also provides information on preparing family emergency plans and discussing these plans with youth.

This publication from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration draws on 40 different data sources to provide national estimates of numerous aspects of behavioral health in children, youth, and adults, including the prevalence of substance abuse and mental health disorders, rates of behavioral health service utilization, and the numbers of providers and facilities providing treatment.  

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics produces this publication annually on the well being of children and families across the U.S.

This Bulletin examines aftercare services that provide youth with comprehensive health, mental health, education, family, and vocational services upon their release from the juvenile justice system.

This resource provides technical assistance to practitioners in state, local, and tribal justice systems.

SAMHSA's "Caring for Every Child's Mental Health" public awareness effort was created in 1994 with the mission to increase awareness around children's mental health.

This guide provides information to faith and community leaders (PDF, 4 pages) about mental health and the significant role they can play in helping individuals and families who are facing mental health challenges. 

A special online supplement from the Journal of Adolescent Health reports on the findings of an expert panel convened by the CDC to better understand the link between bullying and suicide-related behaviors. 

The Office of Human Services in the Bureau of Indian Affairs promotes the safety, financial security and social health of Indian communities and individual Indian people.

This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder and more children are being diagnosed by age 3.

This is the national website of the CAPTs. The CAPTs are regional technical assistance providers for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), an agency of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The CAPTs assist states and jurisdictions and community based organizations in the application of evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs, practices, and policies

The effects of a disaster, terrorist attack, or other public health emergency can be long-lasting, and the resulting trauma can reverberate even with those not directly affected by the disaster. This page provides general strategies for promoting mental health and resilience that were developed by various organizations based on experiences in prior disasters.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides free or low-cost health coverage for more than 7 million children up to age 19. CHIP covers U.S. citizens and eligible immigrants.

First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of The Campaign to Change Direction, a new initiative to raise awareness about mental health. Spearheaded by Give an Hour and co-sponsored by SAMHSA, this campaign aims to change the conversation about mental health in America and to encourage people to be aware of the signs of distress in others and themselves. 

This article from the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention discusses the prevalence of trauma and its effect on children and teens, with the goal of providing schools, parents, and caregivers with the tools to identify young people who may have been affected by trauma in order to help them develop the skills they need to succeed.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to protect public health and safety by providing information to enhance health decisions, and it promotes health through partnerships with state health departments and other organizations.

This SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series installment from the Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) focuses on the reactions and mental health needs of children and youth after a disaster and contains resources from both the child trauma and disaster behavioral health fields. The collection includes an annotated bibliography and a section with helpful links to organizations, agencies, and other resources that address disaster preparedness and response issues surrounding children and youth.

The Child Health USA Databook is an annual report of the health status, well-being and service needs of America's children and youth. Coalitions, program planners and policy makers can identify national trends by examining and comparing data from one year to the next. Indicators for youth, or adolescents, cover multiple issues, including childbearing, substance abuse, violence, mental health treatment, and mortality from traffic and firearms injuries. The section, Population Characteristics, provides information about poverty status and school dropouts. Each topic includes a written summary and at least one graph that clearly depicts key statistical facts.

CMHS leads Federal efforts to treat mental illnesses by promoting mental health and by preventing the development or worsening of mental illness when possible.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Disaster Technical Assistance Center's  updated  Children and Youth Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series contains an installment focusing on the reactions and mental health needs of children and youth after a disaster.