News Release

NCD #01-318
January 3, 2001
Contact: Mark S. Quigley
202-272-2004
202-272-2074 TTY
mquigley@ncd.gov

National Council on Disability Acknowledges Surgeon General's Report on Children's Mental Health

WASHINGTON--The National Council on Disability (NCD) today acknowledged Surgeon General David Satcher's new report on children's mental health, which outlines goals and strategies for improving services for children and youth with mental health problems and their families.

Entitled Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health: A National Action Agenda (www.surgeongeneral.gov/cmh/childreport.htm), the report comes during a recent backlash against children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, who are often overdiagnosed and then medicated to control their behaviors.

NCD applauds the Surgeon General's report for its findings and recommendations. NCD has repeatedly issued similar findings and recommendations in recent reports, such as Back to School on Civil Rights (www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/backtoschool_1.html) and From Privileges to Rights: People Labeled with Psychiatric Disabilities Speak for Themselves (www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/privileges.html).

According to NCD general counsel and director of policy Jeffrey T. Rosen, "Based on the Surgeon General's and NCD's findings and recommendations, many of the nation's children and youth with disabilities who are deprived of necessary mental health services suffer tremendously. Many children develop chronic and serious behavior problems; many children end up in the juvenile justice system; and, unfortunately, far too many drop out of school altogether. It is time for leaders in Congress and the education community to recognize that our nation cannot afford to write-off students who have mental health services needs, or psychological counseling needs, or behavioral intervention needs. Until there is recognition that children and youth with mental health services needs can succeed with appropriate services, supports, and interventions, and they have a right to a free and appropriate public education, this country is headed back to the days when children were written off wholesale because of their disabilities," Rosen added.

NCD is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on disability policies affecting all people with disabilities, including those from culturally diverse populations. It is currently coordinating a multi-year study on the implementation and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other civil rights laws.