Psychologists and others needed to speak up for children’s mental health

APA will participate in the Child Mind Institute's Speak Up for Kids campaign this May to encourage psychologists and other mental health professionals to give presentations in their communities about various mental, emotional, behavioral and learning disorders in children and teens. The monthlong virtual campaign works toward ending the stigma and misinformation preventing many children from getting treatment.

This year’s campaign will focus on barriers to mental health care that children and their families face. Of the 15 million children in the United States with a psychological or learning disorder, less than half receive the help they need. Speak Up For Kids has invited leaders from a range of professional disciplines to contribute to the conversation with online talks, roundtable discussions, videos and articles.

APA’s 2013 President-elect Nadine Kaslow, PhD, will provide APA’s own webcast on suicide prevention and treatment for the families of suicide victims. APA members can sign up to host a viewing party for one or more of the campaign’s 15 live webcasts as well as access discussion guides and a local viewing event toolkit.