Wisconsin’s Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) released a fact sheet this July showing that children with disabilities are more likely to need mental health services than children without. The fact sheet also covers steps that caregivers, and others, can take to improve the mental health of children with disabilities.
According to a July 16 press release, “One in five kids has a special health care need, whether autism, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, or intellectual and developmental disabilities.” Despite the size of this demographic, “These children with the most needs also tend to be the most underserved by our care system,” the press release reads.
The fact sheet also contains a page of resources for figures from caregivers to schools to policymakers, with an abundance of links, suggestions and groups to join. For example, parents and caregivers of children with disabilities can connect with advocacy groups, including Disability Rights Wisconsin and MHA Wisconsin. The fact sheet also provides a link to a parenting tip sheet catered toward helping neurodivergent youth.
Communities are encouraged to design accessible spaces with tools to help children with disabilities feel included. Offering noise-reducing headphones at events is one example listed by the OCMH.
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