Skip Navigation

Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

Sign up for MCHalert eNewsletter

Children and Adolescents with Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges

Professional Resource Guide

Introduction

This professional resource guide directs readers to a selection of current, high-quality resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and quality of care for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges. Resources tap into the health, education, social services, and juvenile justice literature. This professional resource guide can be used by health professionals, program administrators, policymakers, educators, and community advocates to learn more about mental health, for program development, and to locate training resources and information to answer specific questions. Separate briefs present resources for families and schools. This professional resource guide has been compiled by the MCH Digital Library at Georgetown University and will be updated periodically.

Overview

See the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) policy brief, Children's Mental Health: What Every Policymaker Should Know (2010). This policy brief presents statistics about the extent of child and adolescent mental health challenges in the United States; the difficulties these children confront in school and in child welfare and juvenile justice systems; the barriers that can prevent access to services; and weaknesses in the service-delivery system. The brief recommends policy strategies to enhance mental health for children, adolescents, and families.

Resources for Professionals

Websites

Reports, Briefs, and Other Resources

Data and Statistics

Journal Articles and Other Literature and Research

Programs Databases

News and Commentary

Resources for Families

Resources for Schools

Resources on Specific Conditions

Special Topics

Early Childhood

Inappropriate Use of Seclusion and Restraints

Juvenile Justice

Military Families

Parental Depression and Other Mental Health Concerns

Related MCH Digital Library Resources



Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges in Children and Adolescents: Professional Resource Guide, 3rd ed. July 2011. Updated: August 2014, November 2024.

Author: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Digital Library.
Reviewers: Lauren Agoratus, M.A., Family Voices and Family-to-Family Health Information Resource Center at the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of N.J.; Olivia Pickett, M.A., M.L.S., MCH Digital Library; Judi Siegel, L.I.C.S.W., Children's Hospital Boston; Sandy Swan, M.L.S., M.P.H., C.H.I.S., Phil Johnson Historic Archives and Research Library.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A., MCH Digital Library.

The MCH Digital Library is one of six special collections at Geogetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. It is supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy with an award of $700,000/year. The library is also supported through foundation and univerity funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.