2017 Awareness Day Final Report 2017_ADayFinalReport | Page 2

The Texas System of Care partnered with local schools for Awareness Day 2017 to host
“Flight2Freedom,” a paper butterfly release in support of anti-discrimination activities among youth.
Awareness Day 2017:
Then and now
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA)
created National Children’s Mental
Health Awareness Day (Awareness Day)
more than a decade ago to shine a
national spotlight on children’s mental
health and reinforce that positive mental
health is essential to a child’s healthy
development.
For Awareness Day 2017, SAMHSA
explored the benefits of integrating
behavioral health and primary care to
address the needs of children, youth, and
young adults. Our theme, “Partnering
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Partnering for Help and Hope
for Help and Hope,” represents the
importance of behavioral health and
primary care practitioners working with
youth and families to strengthen mental,
physical, social, and emotional health.
SAMHSA hosted its Washington, DC,
Awareness Day 2017 event on May 4 at
The George Washington University’s Jack
Morton Auditorium. The event featured
three interactive panel discussions and
videos highlighting evidenced-based,
fully integrated behavioral/primary care
community-level programs.
Panel discussions explored the value
of addressing a child’s whole health;
strategies for improving communication
between health care providers, youth,
and families to better address physical
and behavioral health needs; and the
unique needs of youth with chronic health
conditions. The conversation among
panelists—which included primary care
practitioners, mental health experts,
family, and youth leaders—provided a
unique opportunity for experts to share
best practices for collaboration
and service delivery.