For this week’s discussion please review “Poor mental health leads to unhealthy behaviors among low-income adults” on Science Daily at the link below:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/13020… (Links to an external site.)
Also consider the following facts taken from The Children’s Defense Fund Mental Health Fact Sheet (March 2010):
- Low-income children (Income<200% of federal poverty level) and children in child welfare or juvenile justice systems are disproportionately affected by serious emotional disorders.
- One in five low-income children ages 6 to 17 have mental health problems.
- According to a report by the Urban Institute, children in foster care have higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems and are more likely to have a mental health condition.
- More than 500,000 children live in foster care, and 50 percent of children in the child welfare system have mental health issues.
- Almost 70 percent of children in state and local juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder, with at least one in five experiencing symptoms so severe that their ability to function is significantly impaired.
( http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-dat… (Links to an external site.)
Discuss the following:
What factors do you think contribute to these occurrences? In your opinion what are some actions, community services, or national initiatives might help to address these issues? How would this information be useful to you in your future mental health counseling practice?