Neglecting the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents carries a high cost—in both economic and human terms.

Suicide is one of two leading causes of death for children aged 10-19. In teenaged black males, suicide is increasing at epidemic rates.

 

Self-Reported Suicidal Behavior in High School Students, 1990

 

Source: Youth Behavior Risk Factor Survey, 1991

Almost half of students with serious emotional disturbance drop out of grades 9 to 12, and 20% are arrested at least once before leaving school. Despite the fact that as many as 20% of children have emotional or behavioral problems warranting intervention, less than 1% of schoolchildren are identified nationally by the schools as having such problems.

It is estimated that 60% of the teenagers in juvenile detention have behavioral disorders, and approximately 20% experience serous emotional disturbances. In addition, some 50% to 75% have serious substance abuse problems.

The best available data specific to dollars spent on youth services indicate that approximately $4.8 billion was spent for child and adolescent mental health services in 1990 (or about 7.1% of total mental healthcare expenditures).

Overall, direct national expenditures for treatment of all age groups for mental health (84%) and abuse of alcohol (6%) and other drugs (10%) were $79.3 billion in 1996. The public sector paid for the majority of treatment (54.2%). Private insurance accounted for 26.3% of total treatment expenditures, out-of-pocket expenditures 16%, and other private spending 3.5%. (Center for Mental Health Services, Research Report, National Expenditures for Mental Health, Alcohol, and Other Drug Abuse Treatment, 1996, September 15, 1998.)

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For more information,
see Enhancing Youth Services by the Lewin Group
for the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems
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