General Mental Health Guidelines
Clinical Care Guidelines
General Guidelines
Care and Treatment
Screening Tools
Position Papers
Practice Guidelines and Policy Documents
The British Psychological Society, 2004-2014
This resource provides a number of general guidelines and practice guidelines available on open access on mental health issues.
Care and Treatment
Practice Parameter on the Use of Psychotropic Medication in Children and Adolescents
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2009
This Practice Parameter promotes the appropriate and safe use of psychotropic medications in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders by emphasizing the best practice principles that underlie medication prescribing.
A Guide to Psychopharmacology for Pediatricians
Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Mental Health Services in Pediatric Primary Care, 2010
This guide presents an overview of the Center’s conceptual framework and selection criteria for psychiatric medications that are appropriate for prescribing in primary care. It also includes guidelines to eight medications primary care providers could prescribe and a list of 22 additional psychiatric medications whose use clinicians can monitor in their patients.
Practice Parameter for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy With Children
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012
This Practice Parameter describes the principles of psychodynamic psychotherapy with children and is based on clinical consensus and available research evidence. It presents guidelines for the practice of child psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Common Mental Health Disorders: Identification and Pathways to Care
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2014
This clinical guideline offers evidence-based advice on the care and treatment of mental health disorders. It brings together advice on access to care, assessment and developing local care pathways. Common mental health disorders include depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post‑traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder.
Screening Tools
Clinical Tools
TeenMentalHealth.Org, 2015
Teen Mental Health has developed a series of tools, created by clinicians and research experts in the area of adolescent mental health that can be used to help health professionals in their diagnosis and treatment of youth with mental disorders.
Mental Health Screening Tools
Mental Health America, 2015
Mental Health America has developed a series of screening tools for various mental health disorders to help patients better understand their mental health. Their screening tools include a Depression Screen, Anxiety Screen, Bipolar Screen, PTSD Screen, Psychosis Screen, Youth Screen, and Parent Screen.
Pediatric Symptom Checklist
Bright Futures, 2015
The Pediatric Symptom Checklist is a psychosocial screen designed to facilitate the recognition of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems so that appropriate interventions can be initiated as early as possible. Included here are two versions, the parent-completed version (PSC) and the youth self-report (Y-PSC). The Y-PSC can be administered to adolescents ages 11 and up.
Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015
This clinical report focuses on the need to increase behavioral screening and offers potential changes in practice and the health system, as well as the research needed to accomplish this.
Position Papers
Parity and Access for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2003
This policy statement strongly supports the principle that needed mental health treatment services must be available to all children. The AACAP is committed to the elimination of all barriers that prevent children from having access to these services.
Financing Mental Health Services for Adolescents
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2006
This position paper by SAHM endorses a comprehensive range of mental health services that should be available and financially accessible to all adolescents regardless of age, race, ethnicity, family income, parent/guardian’s employment status, pre-existing conditions, and health insurance status.
Pediatric Mental Health Emergencies in the Emergency Medical Services System
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2006
This policy statement supports advocacy for increased mental health resources, including improved pediatric mental health tools for the emergency department, increased mental health insurance coverage, and adequate reimbursement at all levels; acknowledgment of the importance of the child’s medical home; and promotion of education and research for mental health emergencies.
Prevention of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Young People
Mental Health America, 2011
This position statement affirms Mental Health America’s beliefs that the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health and substance use conditions should be central to the nation’s public health agenda. Evidence based programs have been developed that will have positive effects not only on an individual’s health but also on multiple social health issues in educational achievement and the economy.
Services for Children with Mental Health Conditions and Their Families
Mental Health America, 2014
This position statement affirms that mental health is an essential part of a child’s overall well-being. Children and families should have access to mental health and other support services that are trauma informed, and include promotion of mental health, prevention of mental illnesses and substance use, early identification, treatment, and long-term support, as needed, regardless of how the child or family enters the service delivery system.
Early Identification of Mental Health Issues in Young People
Mental Health America, 2015
This position statement affirms that early identification, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of mental health or substance use conditions in school-aged young people can alleviate enormous suffering and heartbreak and help young people to benefit from their education and to lead productive lives.
Residential Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Serious Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions
Mental Health America, 2015
This position statement states that it is essential to avoid out-of-home placement whenever wrap-around care could meet the child’s or youth’s and family’s needs. But high-quality residential treatment programs for children and youth with mental health and substance use conditions are essential components of a continuum of care.
The British Psychological Society, 2004-2014
This resource provides a number of general guidelines and practice guidelines available on open access on mental health issues.
Care and Treatment
Practice Parameter on the Use of Psychotropic Medication in Children and Adolescents
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2009
This Practice Parameter promotes the appropriate and safe use of psychotropic medications in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders by emphasizing the best practice principles that underlie medication prescribing.
A Guide to Psychopharmacology for Pediatricians
Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Mental Health Services in Pediatric Primary Care, 2010
This guide presents an overview of the Center’s conceptual framework and selection criteria for psychiatric medications that are appropriate for prescribing in primary care. It also includes guidelines to eight medications primary care providers could prescribe and a list of 22 additional psychiatric medications whose use clinicians can monitor in their patients.
Practice Parameter for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy With Children
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012
This Practice Parameter describes the principles of psychodynamic psychotherapy with children and is based on clinical consensus and available research evidence. It presents guidelines for the practice of child psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Common Mental Health Disorders: Identification and Pathways to Care
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2014
This clinical guideline offers evidence-based advice on the care and treatment of mental health disorders. It brings together advice on access to care, assessment and developing local care pathways. Common mental health disorders include depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post‑traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder.
Screening Tools
Clinical Tools
TeenMentalHealth.Org, 2015
Teen Mental Health has developed a series of tools, created by clinicians and research experts in the area of adolescent mental health that can be used to help health professionals in their diagnosis and treatment of youth with mental disorders.
Mental Health Screening Tools
Mental Health America, 2015
Mental Health America has developed a series of screening tools for various mental health disorders to help patients better understand their mental health. Their screening tools include a Depression Screen, Anxiety Screen, Bipolar Screen, PTSD Screen, Psychosis Screen, Youth Screen, and Parent Screen.
Pediatric Symptom Checklist
Bright Futures, 2015
The Pediatric Symptom Checklist is a psychosocial screen designed to facilitate the recognition of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems so that appropriate interventions can be initiated as early as possible. Included here are two versions, the parent-completed version (PSC) and the youth self-report (Y-PSC). The Y-PSC can be administered to adolescents ages 11 and up.
Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015
This clinical report focuses on the need to increase behavioral screening and offers potential changes in practice and the health system, as well as the research needed to accomplish this.
Position Papers
Parity and Access for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2003
This policy statement strongly supports the principle that needed mental health treatment services must be available to all children. The AACAP is committed to the elimination of all barriers that prevent children from having access to these services.
Financing Mental Health Services for Adolescents
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2006
This position paper by SAHM endorses a comprehensive range of mental health services that should be available and financially accessible to all adolescents regardless of age, race, ethnicity, family income, parent/guardian’s employment status, pre-existing conditions, and health insurance status.
Pediatric Mental Health Emergencies in the Emergency Medical Services System
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2006
This policy statement supports advocacy for increased mental health resources, including improved pediatric mental health tools for the emergency department, increased mental health insurance coverage, and adequate reimbursement at all levels; acknowledgment of the importance of the child’s medical home; and promotion of education and research for mental health emergencies.
Prevention of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Young People
Mental Health America, 2011
This position statement affirms Mental Health America’s beliefs that the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health and substance use conditions should be central to the nation’s public health agenda. Evidence based programs have been developed that will have positive effects not only on an individual’s health but also on multiple social health issues in educational achievement and the economy.
Services for Children with Mental Health Conditions and Their Families
Mental Health America, 2014
This position statement affirms that mental health is an essential part of a child’s overall well-being. Children and families should have access to mental health and other support services that are trauma informed, and include promotion of mental health, prevention of mental illnesses and substance use, early identification, treatment, and long-term support, as needed, regardless of how the child or family enters the service delivery system.
Early Identification of Mental Health Issues in Young People
Mental Health America, 2015
This position statement affirms that early identification, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of mental health or substance use conditions in school-aged young people can alleviate enormous suffering and heartbreak and help young people to benefit from their education and to lead productive lives.
Residential Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Serious Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions
Mental Health America, 2015
This position statement states that it is essential to avoid out-of-home placement whenever wrap-around care could meet the child’s or youth’s and family’s needs. But high-quality residential treatment programs for children and youth with mental health and substance use conditions are essential components of a continuum of care.
