News | World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD) 2024
The initiation of a World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD) to:
- Recognize the global importance of infant, child and adolescent mental health.
- Advocate for the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental illness in infants, children and adolescents.
23rd of April is declared as World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD) by 4 organisations: • International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) • International Society for Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology (ISAPP) • World Infant Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH) • World Psychiatric Association Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section (WPA-CAP)
Background
Children and adolescents form a third of the world's population. Research has demonstrated that adverse experiences in childhood impact lifelong mental and physical health. Most mental disorders develop in childhood and adolescence (before the age of 25), and one-quarter of disability-adjusted life years for mental and substance use disorders occur in youths. The prevalence of mental disorders continues to rise in the young and is higher than adults. The need to improve understanding of this as well as to create awareness of its importance in families, communities and societies cannot be underestimated.
Purpose
The World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD) was initiated to take place annually on the 23rd of April to bring global awareness and literacy to this issue and bring the relevant professional agencies committed to this cause together.
Objective
The objectives of the World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD) are to:
- Improve global public awareness about child and adolescent mental health.
- Create literacy and competencies in the promotion of child and adolescent mental health as well as reduce the stigma of mental disorders in these populations.
- Improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders through international cooperation and understanding.
- Reach out to countries with scarce resources to develop child and adolescent mental health professionals.
