Prevention approaches in child mental health disorders

If the health of children is to be improved, systems of care for youth must organize and collaborate around an emphasis toward promotion of health and prevention of mental illness. This approach demands an understanding of the complex interplay of genes, environment, risk, and protective factors that influence the manifestation of behavior problems. The focus of this article is prevention efforts aimed at processes thought to be involved in the development of mental illnesses. A particular emphasis is on prevention strategies that reduce risk prior to the onset of an identifiable mental disorder. Included are interventions appropriate to nurses who deal with children in schools, pediatric primary care, and specialty mental health care.