Mar 15, 2018, (Australia) Lithgow Mercury: Interim mental health support program for Lithgow youth announced http://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/5286999/interim-mental-health-support-program-announced-for-young-people/ The provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Public Health Network, Wentworth Healthcare, has announced an interim mental health support program targeted at young people in Lithgow while the new headspace service is established. The program will allow Lithgow residents between the ages of 12-25 to access up to 12 sessions of low cost psychological services once referred by a GP. … In a press release Wentworth Healthcare said the program was developed in response to, “the high rates of psychological distress among youth in the area.” … Another aspect of the program, set up in collaboration with Lithgow High School, is that students attending the school will be able to access two sessions with mental health workers upon recommendation of the school’s counsellor. After which they can see a GP for assessment and referral. “Early intervention is critical, which is why support like this in Lithgow High School is so important,” Ms Reay said. … “It is a really pleasing partnership between local mental Health services and the High school.” …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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