Children's Mental Health

What’s New

Snohomish County has a Children’s Mental Health Liaison to assist the community’s families, school and social service providers in accessing mental health services and navigating resources for children and adolescents. Email Liza Patchen-Short call her at 425-388-7254. If you need immediate help, click on the button below for resources:

Get Help Now Button
Where to Start

PAST EVENTS

Select a link below to view the video presentation (Dr. Nadine Burke Harris only) or PowerPoint from the conference:

Mental Health Issues are Common in Children and Teens

According to the US Surgeon General:

  • One in five children will suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition each year.
  • One in ten kids will have symptoms that are significant enough to seriously affect their functioning in school, at home, and in the community.

In any given year, only 20% of children with mental illness are identified and receive mental health services. Some reasons can include:

  • The stigma often associated with mental illness.
  • Lack of knowledge regarding mental health issues.
  • Difficulty accessing or paying for services.

Kids who do not receive the care they need are:

  • More likely to struggle in school.
  • Less likely to graduate from high school.
  • Likely to have difficult family and social relationships and are at a higher risk for family and social conflicts.
  • At higher risk for delinquency.
Three Rocks Stacked with Yellow Flowers

Did You Know?

Mental illness can affect anybody regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, or socio-economic background. ◦Mental illness is not caused by poor decisions.

  • Mental illness affects a person’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
  • 50% of mental illness begins by age 14.
  • Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 15-24.
  • One in five children who need mental health care actually receives it.