| Issue At Hand: Childhood Mental Health | | Print | |
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Did You Know? An estimated 22,000 children in Douglas and Sarpy Counties need behavioral health intervention or treatment but don't have access to health care1. With the help of United Way donor dollars, thousands of children are able to get the medical attention they need through United Way partner and CHC agencies. 
So how do United Way partner agencies provide mental healthcare to area youth? Through counseling, area agencies are able to teach children new ways of coping with the stresses of daily life. Mental wellness is essential as a child begins to grow. By learning new skills through family and one-on-one counseling, they are able to leave behind bad habits and begin their development into productive adults. It's with the help of agencies such as Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Girls Inc. of Omaha and Heartland Family Service that area families are able to receive these essential services, no matter their ability to pay. What's the most important factor in a child's mental wellness? Often, it's their relationship with their parents or caregiver2. Stress caused by an unbalanced home life can lead children to act out at school and make poor decisions. Without a positive role model, children will continue to emulate bad behaviors beyond childhood. When United Way partner agencies sit down with families, they stress the importance of positive interactions between parents and children. A positive childhood creates a solid foundation for a successful future. At United Way, we feel it's important to create changes now that will have a lifelong effect. Did you know? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, many mental disorders that affect adults can begin in childhood or adolescence3. Depression is a very real issue that needs proper treatment and help is only a phone call away at many United Way funded agencies. Last year, United Way of the Midlands committed $1,823,200 to behavioral and mental health counseling services, ensuring that local agencies such as Catholic Charities Omaha, Charles Drew Health Center, Heartland Family Service, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska and Girls Inc. of Omaha are able to provide these essential services to the community. What steps can you take to ensure peace of mind about your child's health coverage? Keeping children healthy now is important to their development into healthy adults. Medicaid and CHIP are available to those in need. Take a look at this blog posting by United Way that addresses how having proper health insurance ensures your children will be healthy on the road ahead: http://liveunited.org/blog/entry/childrens-health-is-a-national-priority/ United Way funded programs referenced above: Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Omaha Charles Drew Health Center Girls Incorporated of Omaha Heartland Family Service Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc. 1Building Bright Futures
Information and statistics included in this posting were acquired through interviews with multiple United Way partner agencies and has been reposted for informational purposes |
