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NIMH Blueprint for Change
EDITOR’S
NOTE
NIMH Blueprint for Change The Special Communication in this issue from the NIMH regarding research priorities for child and adolescent mental health should be required reading for all of those interested in the well-being of youth. The implementation of the recommendations will require a substantial increase in research funding. Although the systemic barriers to collaboration and implementation have been real and powerful, multidisciplinary, culturally, and developmentally sensitive research is very expensive to do. To this excellent summary and plan for action, I would add the increasingly troubling barriers of the shortage of all disciplines of mental health professionals trained to work with children and families and the egregious underfunding of mental health and social service programs for children, both in the public sector and by private insurance. The best interventions will be ineffective in the face of long waiting lists, overwhelming caseloads, and vast geographic areas with virtually no services. Dramatic increases in funding from all sources are needed for clinical professional training and service programs, with requirements that evidence-based, interdisciplinary approaches be taught and delivered. Mina K. Dulcan, M.D.
J . A M . A C A D . C H I L D A D O L E S C . P S YC H I AT RY, 4 1 : 7 , J U LY 2 0 0 2
759
NOTE
NIMH Blueprint for Change The Special Communication in this issue from the NIMH regarding research priorities for child and adolescent mental health should be required reading for all of those interested in the well-being of youth. The implementation of the recommendations will require a substantial increase in research funding. Although the systemic barriers to collaboration and implementation have been real and powerful, multidisciplinary, culturally, and developmentally sensitive research is very expensive to do. To this excellent summary and plan for action, I would add the increasingly troubling barriers of the shortage of all disciplines of mental health professionals trained to work with children and families and the egregious underfunding of mental health and social service programs for children, both in the public sector and by private insurance. The best interventions will be ineffective in the face of long waiting lists, overwhelming caseloads, and vast geographic areas with virtually no services. Dramatic increases in funding from all sources are needed for clinical professional training and service programs, with requirements that evidence-based, interdisciplinary approaches be taught and delivered. Mina K. Dulcan, M.D.
J . A M . A C A D . C H I L D A D O L E S C . P S YC H I AT RY, 4 1 : 7 , J U LY 2 0 0 2
759