| In 2006 the news contained 22 incidents of school | | | | Health Programs. (CSMHA - Dr. Weist, University |
| violence and reports show that violence in some | | | | of Maryland)). |
| major US cities was higher last year than it has | | | | 2) Early screening of children with behavior |
| been in decades. Violence among females and | | | | problems to determine the services that are |
| pre-teens is also rising, and the US has a greater | | | | needed |
| violence rate than any other Western Nation. As | | | | 3) Major reform and coordination of the |
| a country, we need to act now to stop this | | | | Educational, Mental Health, Juvenile Justice, Criminal |
| epidemic. | | | | Justice, and Social Services systems. |
| Most Americans put their faith in the penal | | | | Youth at risk for violence have problems in |
| system. We think that by investing money in jails | | | | multiple areas of life, such as school failure, |
| and rehabilitation centers, we will be able to cut | | | | behavior, mental health, and social skills. Helping |
| down on violence and deter future criminals. It is | | | | them in one area and ignoring other problems is |
| necessary to place these offenders in jails and | | | | not sufficient to solve the problem. |
| prisons to protect society; however, in order to | | | | Patricia Crowther, a pioneer in school-based |
| substantially cut down on future violence, we | | | | mental health, believes that there are an |
| must shift our focus and invest time and money | | | | astounding number of children who need mental |
| into more resources for prevention and | | | | health services, but never receive them. "One of |
| intervention. | | | | the most pressing and plaguing problems |
| USA Today reported that cities, such as | | | | presented to educators," she says, "is the ever |
| Cincinnati, Houston, New York, Chicago, Oakland, | | | | increasing number of children, who despite an |
| Philadelphia, and New Haven, had higher murder | | | | inherent ability to learn are not benefiting from a |
| rates in 2006 than in prior years ("Murders are up | | | | regular classroom teaching experience as shown |
| in New York, several other U.S. cities for 2006," | | | | by their continuing academic underachievement." |
| USA Today, December 28, 2006). | | | | She believes that the student's lack of |
| Authorities blame this violence on issues | | | | improvement is often due to unaddressed mental |
| surrounding respect, revenge, reputation, and | | | | health, stress, family, and trauma issues that could |
| romance. Others say it is the availability of | | | | also lead to future delinquent and violent acts. |
| firearms. While either explanation may be true, | | | | Studies have shown that only 16 percent of all |
| we need to look deeper at societal issues, such | | | | children receive any mental health services. Of |
| as violence in American families and schools. For | | | | that same 16 percent, 70-80 percent receive that |
| example: Shortly after ringing in the New Year, | | | | care in a school setting (Health In School |
| the news carried reports of 2007's first school | | | | Organization). |
| shooting. Douglas Chanthabouly, 18, was taken | | | | "The burden of suffering experienced by children |
| into custody for the shooting of Samnang Kok, | | | | with mental health needs and their families has |
| 17, at Henry Foss High School. Now there are | | | | created a health crisis in this country," writes |
| reports of two teens cooking a puppy in an oven, | | | | David Satcher, MD, PhD in his "Report of the |
| one teen stabbing and killing another, and a group | | | | Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental |
| of teens beating three teen girls severely last | | | | Health: A National Action Agenda." Clearly our |
| Halloween. | | | | violence problem is a public health crisis, as well, |
| Children should feel safe school, and yet far too | | | | and it must be fixed. |
| many do not. While most schools have | | | | As a solution, we can continue to spend more |
| emergency and evacuation plans for what to do | | | | money on trials and jails. However, we must also |
| during and after the crisis of a school shooting, | | | | put more money into prevention, identification, |
| how many have prevention plans? | | | | and therapy for troubled youth and their families. |
| School prevention plans should include three | | | | Money spent in pre-school programs with family |
| elements: | | | | involvement, home visiting programs, and school |
| 1) Immediate and easy access to mental health | | | | based mental health programs is well spent and |
| services for all troubled youth and their families | | | | has demonstrated great results. It's time to take |
| (Only 10% of all school districts in the US | | | | a stand and do more to prevent violence in this |
| currently have an established School Based Mental | | | | country. |