Mental Health - Delaware AAP
Articles and resources dedicated to mental health.
The Mental Health Association in Delaware
The Mental Health Association in Delaware promotes improved mental well being for all individuals and families in Delaware through education, support, and advocacy.
The Mental Health Association in Delaware (MHA) is a statewide, nonprofit organization founded in 1932 to promote mental health. MHA provides services throughout Delaware, and our focus is education, support and advocacy for mental health issues.
MHA is an affiliate of Mental Health America. With over 240 affiliates, Mental Health America represents the largest and oldest voluntary citizen’s organization concerned with mental health and mental illness.
Mental illness is a major public health problem, with one in five Americans experiencing depression or anxiety disorders every year. This means more than 100,000 Delawareans, including children, are affected by these illnesses annually.
Depression, if left untreated, is as costly to the American economy as heart disease or AIDS. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the annual cost of depression in the United States is estimated to be $43.7 billion dollars in lost productivity, absenteeism, treatment cost and mortality.
Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals
The primary objective of the Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals is to protect the public from unsafe practices and practices which tend to reduce competition or fix prices for services. The Board must also maintain standards of professional competence and service delivery. To meet these objectives, the Board
- develops standards for professional competency
- promulgates rules and regulations
- adjudicates complaints against professionals and, when necessary, imposes disciplinary sanctions.
The Board issues licenses to professional counselors of mental health, associate counselors of mental health, chemical dependency professionals, marriage and family therapists and associate marriage and family therapists.
CDC – Children’s Mental Health
The term childhood mental disorder means all mental disorders that can be diagnosed and begin in childhood (for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome, behavior disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorders, substance use disorders, etc.). Mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the ways children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions. Symptoms usually start in early childhood, although some of the disorders may develop throughout the teenage years. The diagnosis is often made in the school years and sometimes earlier. However, some children with a mental disorder may not be recognized or diagnosed as having one.
Childhood mental disorders can be treated and managed. There are many evidence-based treatment options, so parents and doctors should work closely with everyone involved in the child’s treatment — teachers, coaches, therapists, and other family members. Taking advantage of all the resources available will help parents, health professionals and educators guide the child towards success. Early diagnosis and appropriate services for children and their families can make a difference in the lives of children with mental disorders.