ADD/ADHD

• C.H.A.D.D. For children and adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Adoption

• Adoption Tax Credit Claiming the Federal Adoption Tax Credit for adoptions finalized in 2011. (pdf)
• Adopt Us Kids Recruits and connects foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.
• California Association of Adoption Agencies Includes most licensed adoption agencies in the state with 85 members. Both public and private agencies statewide are joined with others interested in adoption issues to advocate for healthy adoption practice.
• Voice for Adoption Voice for Adoption (VFA) develops and advocates for improved adoption policies. Recognized as a national leader in special needs adoption.

Bipolar Disorders

• The Bipolar Child.   Information and articles about bipolar disorders in children.
• The Balanced Mind Foundation Formerly the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation.  Guides families raising children with mood disorders to the answers, support and stability they seek.  The Learning Section of this website has many articles about early-onset bipolar disorders.  The website also has message boards, chat rooms, and online support groups.

Child Sexual Abuse

• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Article about child sexual abuse.
• Child Trauma Academy Article about sexual abuse of children.
• Children’s Medical Services Information about child sexual abuse, from the Florida Department of Health Children’s Medical Services Sexual Abuse Treatment Program.
• Darkness to Light Raises awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse.
• Stop It Now! Answers to commonly asked questions about child sexual abuse.
• Survivors Healing Center Education, information, referrals, services and support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Children’s Issues and Advocacy

• CWLA – The Nation’s Children Statistics on child abuse and neglect in America, 2012
• The Brookings Institution, Center on Children and Families Research on the well-being of America’s children and their families.
• Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago Research to improve social services for children and adolescents.
• The ChildTrauma Academy A  non-profit organization, based in Houston, as a unique collaborative of individuals and organizations working to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research and education.
• Child Welfare League of America Coalition of hundreds of private and public agencies serving vulnerable children and families on policies, programs, and practices.
• Children’s Defense Fund Fact sheets on children’s issues, including information about children’s mental health.
• Children NOW A national organization for people who want to make sure children are a top public policy priority.
• Children’s Rights National advocacy group working to reform failing child welfare systems on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of abused and neglected children who depend on them for protection and care.
• Connect For Kids
• Council on Accreditation (COA) Partners with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery outcomes by developing, applying, and promoting accreditation standards.
• Every Child Matters This organization works to focus public attention on children’s issues.
• Mental Health National Anti Stigma Campaign A national campaign to encourage people between 18 and 25 to support their friends who are experiencing mental health problems.
• National Center for Youth Law The National Center for Youth Law works to ensure that low-income children have the resources, support, and opportunities they need for a healthy and productive future.
• National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice This organization’s goal is to infuse family-centered principles and practices into the child welfare system.
• Prevent Child Abuse America Awareness and education to prevent abuse and neglect.
• The Urban Institute A non-partisan economic and social policy research organization.
• Women In Government
• Youth Involvement in Systems of Care: A Guide to Youth Empowerment (100 page PDF) How young people can become involved in the mental health care system that serves them.

Crisis

• KidsPeace: The National Center for Kids Overcoming Crisis For families and kids dealing with crisis.
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Works to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.

Family Finding/Foster Care

• California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care The charge of the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care is to provide recommendations to the California Judicial Council on the ways in which the courts and their partners can improve safety, permanency, well-being, and fairness outcomes for children and families. Learn more about the commission and its draft recommendations at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/blueribbon.
• California Fostering Connections Information about the implementation of AB 12, the California Fostering Connections to Success Act. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 12 on September 30, 2010. With this legislation, 1 in 5 youth who “age out” nationally will receive the support of the foster care system to age 21, ending an era of neglect and providing youth in foster care with the same common-sense assistance provided to children from in-tact families. Thousands of relative care providers will participate in the new, federally-funded subsidized guardianship program, providing much needed support that promotes stability among children. View Youth Flyer Memo and Youth Flyer

• California Youth Connection Guided, focused and driven by current and former foster youth with the assistance of other committed community members. Promotes policy development and legislatvie change to improve the foster care system and improve social work practice and child welfare policy.
• California Permanency for Youth Project Dedicated to assuring that no youth will leave the California child welfare system without a permanent lifelong connection to a caring adult.
• Casey Familiy Programs Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation entirely focused on foster care. Works to provide and improve foster care in the United States.
• Catholic Charities of Western Washington Information on Family Finding services.
• Destination Family This organization works to creates lifelong family connections for Sacramento, Nevada and Placer County foster youth between the ages of 11 and 18. The goal is that by the end of 2008, no youth will age out of foster care without a permanent family connection that is as legally, emotionally, and physically secure as possible.
• A Family for Every Child: Strategies to Achieve Permanence for Older Foster Children and Youth by the North American Council on Adoptable Children for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, August 2005.
• Foster Family Based Treatment Association The Foster Family-based Treatment Association strengthens agencies that support families caring for vulnerable children. The Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA) is an agency-led organization of treatment foster care providers established in 1988 with an initial purpose of defining and refining Treatment Foster Care practices.
• Legal Center for Foster Care & Education A national technical assistance resource and information clearinghouse on legal and policy matters affecting the education of children in the foster care system. It provides a searchable database of legal and policy resources and houses announcements of events and newly developed information.
• National Foster Care Month May is National Foster Care Month.
• New York State Citizen’s Coalition for Children Support, information and advocacy for foster and adoptive parents and professionals in New York State.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

• The FASD Center A federal government website devoted to the topic of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (disorders occurring in children whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy).
• FAS World Resources and information about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Information on a range of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Includes bulletin boards for parents, and links to other sites.

Juvenile Justice (Cost of)

• Criminal Justice Statistic Center How much does crime cost?
• Department of Justice FY2005 budget and performance summary.
• Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (2005).
• Friends Outside in Santa Clara County (2003) Issues and trends facing criminal justice.
• Justice Policy Institute (2006) Cost-Effective youth corrections: Rationalizing the fiscal architecture of juvenile justice system.
• Legislative Analyst’s Office (2006) Analysis of the 2006-07 budget bill. Retrieved June.
• National Center for Juvenile Justice (2003)
• Stanford Forum on Juvenile Justice Reform (2005) DJJ institutions cost more than $120,000 per youth in FY05-06.
• U.S. House of Representatives (2004) Incarceration of youth who are waiting for community mental health services in the U.S.
• Warren, N. (2006) The juvenile justice system, youthful offenders and racial disparity.

Mental Health

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Helps parents and families understand developmental, behavioral, emotional and mental disorders affecting children and adolescents.
• BC Family Productions Family website for training and education regarding children’s mental health.
• California Department of Mental Health Information about the Mental Health Services Act (prop 63), and links to other mental health websites.
• Georgetown University Child Development Centers Center for Child Health and Mental Health Policy.
• DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows Documentary on PBS, followed by a panel discussion with NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, M.D., moderated by broadcast journalist Jane Pauley.
• Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General The Surgeon General’s 1999 report on the topic of mental health and mental illness.
• Mental Health Resources and Organizations A list of California mental health organizations and related websites, from the California Department of Mental Health.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Information, support and resources about mental illness.
• NADD: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Provides education, training, and information on mental health issues relating to persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
• National Mental Health Association Mental health advocacy, public education, research, services.
• President’s New Freedom Commission Report on Mental Health A 2002-2003 national study of public and private mental health systems.
• Reality Check For youth with mental illness.
• Research & Training Center for Children’s Mental Health A research and training center at the University of South Florida. The Center conducts research and provides training in the children’s mental health area.
• Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health A research and training center at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. The Center is dedicated to promoting services for families and their children who are affected by mental, emotional or behavioral disorders.
• SAMHSA Mental Health Dictionary From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Santa Clara County, Mental Health Department Information about the Mental Health Services Act (prop 63) and about mental health services in Santa Clara County.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Information about mental health, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• True Life: I Have Schizophrenia Part of the award-winning MTV documentary series that explores issues affecting young people.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

• A Place For Us Parent message board, links to information about conduct disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and related problems.
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder: What is it? Informational pamphlet.

Parent Resources

• African American Community Service Agency Acts as a clearinghouse/resource center for African American Services in Santa Clara County.
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s “Facts on Families” A useful booklet for families.
• BC Family Productions Family website for training and education regarding children’s mental health.
• Center for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health This Columbia University website has links to various resources, including disorder profiles and treatment options. It also identifies science-based “best practices” and reviews current scientific findings.
• Family Resource Center Association of family services organizations in Redmond, Washington.
• Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Information on research, prevention, early intervention, education, and transition centers.
• KidsCal: Children’s Health Events for Families Lucile Packard Foundation’s calendar of children’s health events sponsored by nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County.
• KidsData Information about kids’ health and well-being in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. Includes a list of agencies that can help.
• KidsHealth from the Nemours Foundation Children’s health information for families.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) National mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families. The website offers general information about mental illness, as well as information about specific illnesses. NAMI publishes a useful booklet, “Parents and Teachers as Allies,” that describes the symptoms of childhood onset of various mental illnesses. You can order the booklet here.
• National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) An association for people who have been diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability in addition to mental illness.
• Network of Care for Mental Health, San Bernardino County Information about mental health services, laws, and related news, as well as communication tools and other features.
• New York University Child Study Center Child mental health information, and information about parenting issues.
• Parents Helping Parents Information, guidance, and peer support for parents of Santa Clara County children who have childhood disabilities including, but not limited to, physical, intellectual, or learning disabilities and/or special healthcare needs.
• The Preteen Alliance News and data about the emotional health of children ages 9-13 in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. The Preteen Alliance also holds periodic meetings. Sponsored by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health.
• Reality Check For youth with mental illness.

Wraparound

• The National Wraparound Initiative Brings together experts from across the nation to establish definitions and guidelines to assure high-fidelity standards for Wraparound programs.

Other Resources

• Autism Neighborhood Series of interviews with experts and professionals in the field and individuals and families with autism.

• Council for Exceptional Children An organization for professionals who work with children with special education needs.
• EdSource Online News and data on California education policy.
• Ed-Data Fiscal, demographic and performance data on California’s K-12 schools.
• Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature For professionals in the mental health and human services fields. Includes practical advice for getting evidence-based practices and programs off the ground successfully.
• International Child and Youth Care Network A network for professionals who work in the child and youth care fields.
• National Council For Community Behavioral Healthcare A national association of community providers who together care for 6 million adults and children across the U.S. who suffer from mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse disorders.
• National Technical Assistance Center on Youth Transition The Center assists in the development, implementation, and improvement of programs for youth in transition at five sites across the nation.
• SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders.
• Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) A six-year study of special education students. The study points to factors that correlate with students’ developmental growth.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Program The federal agency responsible for assisting States in the delivery of child welfare services.