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Blind Spot: Missed Early Warning Signs and Children’s Mental Health

Blind Spot: Missed Early Warning Signs and Children’s Mental Health. A dark picture. M ore than one in five Connecticut children struggles with a mental health or substance abuse problem Suspensions and expulsions begin early

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Blind Spot: Missed Early Warning Signs and Children’s Mental Health

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  1. Blind Spot:Missed Early Warning Signs and Children’s Mental Health

  2. A dark picture • More than one in five Connecticut children struggles with a mental health or substance abuse problem • Suspensions and expulsions begin early • Negative behavioral and social outcomes for students with emotional disorders • Failure to identify problems • Inadequate access to appropriate services • Increased academic performance pressures

  3. A developmental trajectory Josue • Born to a 12-year-old mother • Early ear infections • Difficulties with auditory perception, memory and speech • Exposure to sexual abuse and domestic violence • Grade 4 – exited from bilingual services; special education evaluation

  4. A downward spiral • Full inclusion in regular high school program • Weaknesses in reading, math and writing • Minimal small group skills lab • Social work – 45 minutes a week • Suspensions from school • Involvement with juvenile justice system

  5. The Blind Spot study • 7th, 8th, 9th grade students with mental health problems • Persistent school failure, truancy, juvenile justice involvement, other court involvement • Urban school systems • Total cases: 102

  6. Key findings • Court or juvenile justice intervention, FWSN referrals 51% • Multiple school suspensions, aggressive incidents or disruptive behavior 82% • Depression 25% • Anxiety disorders 20% • Post-traumatic stress disorders 17% • Self-injurious behaviors 16% • Psychiatric hospitalizations 17% • Reports of physical, emotional, sexual abuse 12%

  7. Failing grades • Developmental challenges and absence of consistent family structures and support • Failure of schools to recognize and address multiple adverse events that affect children • Failure to recognize and respond to behavior patterns that mask underlying learning and mental health problems

  8. Needed next steps • Improved screening for mental health risk factors • Early, coordinated intervention including mental health and special education • Improved community and parent education around mental health risk factors • Improved training and accountability for service providers

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