Critical review of world policies for mental healthcare for children and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
Policy development is essential for the development of child and adolescent mental health services. The gaps in policy and knowledge on how to develop policy have hindered the development of sustainable services.


RESULTS
The WHO has now objectively identified gaps in child and adolescent mental health policy and services worldwide through its Atlas project. Others have identified the need to use evidence-based interventions in developing services and the need for ongoing evaluation. These latter elements are essential for effective policy implementation.


CONCLUSIONS
Data are now available worldwide to move forward with advocacy for child and adolescent mental health policy development.
Belfer
Myron L
ML
Department of Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Senior Associate in Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. Myron_Belfer@hms.harvard.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011640:Public Policy