Identify the Population Health concern you selected.

Mental health in children and adolescents.

Describe the Population Health concern you selected and the factors that contribute to it.

Children and adolescents face stigma/taboo when they have a mental disorder (University of South California, n.d.). There is a shortage of education and health care for the underage with a mental health disorder (World Health Organization, n.d.). That being said, one of Healthy People 2020’s objective is to “increase the proportion of children with mental health problems who receive treatment” (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). Therefore, funding is needed for further research and treatment programs (University of South California, n.d.).

Administration (President Name)

Donald Trump

Barack Obama

George W. Bush

Describe the administrative agenda focus related to this issue for the current and two previous presidents.

Trumps administration signed the “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act.” This act “expands access to inpatient treatment and other evidence-based options, for those with mental illness.” (The White House, 2019). The Department of Health and Human Services approved Medicaid to support treatment options for those with a mental illness and emotionally disturbed children (White House, 2019).

In 2013, President Obama ordered to make mental health access for children and adolescents a priority. By increasing resources to schools, ensure treatment needed for the children and adolescents and guarantee that health insurance covers mental health (Gardner, 2013).

President Bush’s agenda for mental health was to help eliminate the stigma seen in those who are mentally ill

(Lenzer, 2005).

Identify the allocations of financial and other resources that the current and two previous presidents dedicated to this issue.

President Trump increased the budget to $723 million for the Community Mental Health Block Grant. The President also added fund specifically to the Children’s Mental Health Services. (Pellit, 2019)

President Obama funded $50 million to community health centers to increase accessibility of services to those in need of mental health and/or substance abuse assistance. (Ingoglia, 2013)

President Bush funded $126.2 to the Department of Health and Human Services, these funds were spread to provided assistance to services and activities including mental health and substance abuse. (The White House, 2001)

Explain how each of the presidential administrations approached the issue.

President Trump goal is to open additional psychiatric institutes as well as providing mental health services. (Craig, 2019). Furthermore, President Trump wants to help focus on helping understand mental health issues as well as reducing the effects of mental health in the community. (The White House, 2019)

President Obama proposed a new program to train adults, most importantly, teachers, in ways to detect and how to intervene to mental illness in children and adolescents. This project is called Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education AWARE. (Szabo, 2013)

President Bush approached this issue by signing Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act of 2008, this law makes health insurance provide coverage equally to those who use insurance for mental health and substance abuse as those with a medical health issue. (Hart, 2016)