Katie Couric's Notebook: Our Kids' Mental Health

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: Kids' Mental Health

Today is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day -- and experts say a lot of kids with serious mental health issues are not getting the treatment they need. That has serious ramifications for all of us. Click the monitor to find out why.

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by mamasilva1 May 10, 2007 4:08 PM EDT: this is my 1st time on your blog, but I find this very confusing. I guess I'm slow to jump on the "blog" wagon.

I am a big fan of yours and loved you on the Today Show. It's just not the same without you. I think your biggest positive trait was that you were down-to-earth and looked really sincere with your interactions and concerns about us "regular people". I just don't think that has surfaced yet in your new position.
We still love you.; Reply to this comment


by thy1138 May 9, 2007 7:26 PM EDT: This is an important day and I am glad to be reminded. Often we overlook how difficult it has been for many children in a new age of rapid re-assignments and deployments among our fellow citizens in business and in the military. Adjustments must seem almost unbearable for some and must have some psychological effect on developing minds, at least from my experience, from South Bronx projects and the poorest parish in NYC, St. Rita's to the once vegetable truck farms, with migrant workers and quickly changing landscapes into new suburban "experiments" on Long Island. We've also witnessed the closing of large former hospitals for the care of the mentally ill, replaced by new drugs, a "better living through chemistry" which, granted, is a significant breakthrough. However, children are still part of our "divided selves" as we confront what hasn't been in our social network in many years, a "war" actually declared by the US Congress (rather than alluded to by ads from Madison Avenue) under what has turned out to be based on very suspicious circumstances and lack of proof or evidence, further dividing us, perhaps, from our children. As witnesses to "Watergate" and "Winegate" and a whole bunch of other "-gates" (journalistic names ascribed to other scandals) we may have been treated as "bad children" ourselves by those in government and perhaps we should or will rebel. President Nixon once stated, "Never underestimate the intelligence of the American people" which includes our children.; Reply to this comment


by shingles1 May 9, 2007 12:32 PM EDT: In the words of John Stewart:

If you and all of your friends are upset about the Blame game, it%u2019s because You%u2019re To Blame.; Reply to this comment


by shingles1 May 9, 2007 12:29 PM EDT: mh4cbs1, I think you're off topic.
And when you go off topic...the terrorists win!; Reply to this comment


by ericmichael1 May 9, 2007 12:22 PM EDT: In the beginning, EVERYONE supported the war except a few die-hard people who were dubbed as unpatriotic.

Even Colin Powell, one of the most respected people in the political arena, stood up and endorsed the war.

Culpability? Wolfowitz and those with him in the inner sanctum.

Culpability? The lack of Spine in the bureaucracy, notably the CIA.

EVERYBODY was misled here. Powell, Congress and even in the Administration. Katie, ABC, CBS, NBC, all the alphabet from A to Z. You and me.

Whenever we point a finger, there are three pointing back at us. Let's get on with life, people, and look for the solutions, not play the blame game.

Eric; Reply to this comment


by ericmichael1 May 9, 2007 12:19 PM EDT: In the beginning, EVERYONE supported the war except a few die-hard people who were dubbed as unpatriotic.

Even Colin Powell, one of the most respected people in the political arena, stood up and endorsed the war.

Culpability? Wolfowitz and those with him in the inner sanctum.

Culpability? The lack of Spine in the bureaucracy, notably the CIA.

EVERYBODY was misled here. Powell, Congress and even in the Administration. Katie, ABC, CBS, NBC, all the alphabet from A to Z. You and me.

Whenever we point a finger, there are three pointing back at us. Let's get on with life, people, and look for the solutions, not play the blame game.

Eric; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw May 9, 2007 2:06 AM EDT: Dear Katie, You are a great news broadcaster and managing editor and in addition to being friendly,pleasant,and beautiful,you are very intelligent with lots of professionalism and news experience in your background as well. We all learn a lot from you and your news broadcasts every night.You are a great teacher! And as of tonight's broadcast, I just heard that you are a big hit in the Mollusc Communities of America as well!
Thank you for informing us that today is National Children's Mental Health Day.It is an important day to be aware of. It is sad to know that as many as 2/3 of kids with mental health issues are not getting the treatment that they need. Perhaps shortages of professionals in some areas of children's mental health, like child psychiatrists, and perhaps shortages of funding to treat these children at the federal, state, and county levels, contribute to these kids not always getting the care they need. And continued followup and continuity of care is important as well, all of which require extensive staffing and funding also. With the higher rates of autism, depression, anxiety, ADD and drug abuse that seem to be occurring among kids these days, it makes sense to treat and diagnose these conditions early in a kid's life, and provide followup as needed, in order to avoid more serious and possibly even trajic consequences in the years ahead. Children are the world's most important natural resource!; Reply to this comment


by mh4cbs1 May 9, 2007 1:04 AM EDT: alphabits2:

Do you know that when Katie Couric was hired, CBS dubbed her a "News Personality". Not a journalist, not even a serious news reporter. Just a perky personality.

CBS is complicit in the death of 3,300 US Troops because they acted as cheerleaders for WAR, instead of doing their job to report the LIES behind the Bush/Cheney hype that 2 reporters at Knight-Rider reported in depth (but no-one at CBS even bothered to pick up their stories and report the truth); Reply to this comment


by mh4cbs1 May 9, 2007 12:58 AM EDT: Katie,

Did you read Lee Iacoca below about the press "waving pom-poms"

Just like how CBS was cheerleading Bush to WAR, even though it was obvious to those paying attention (like the Knight Rider reporters) that it was ALL DELIBERATE LIES.

But CBS played it's corporate role. Whether for Ratings of Regulation favors, the bottom line is that CBS is COMPLICIT in the DEATH of 3,300 US Troops.; Reply to this comment


by mh4cbs1 May 9, 2007 12:16 AM EDT: Lee Iococa (former CEO Chrysler Corp):

Am I the only guy in this country who%u2019s fed up with what%u2019s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We%u2019ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we%u2019ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can%u2019t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, %u201CStay the course.%u201D

Stay the course? You%u2019ve got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I%u2019ll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies.

Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don%u2019t need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we%u2019re fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions. That%u2019s not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I%u2019ve had enough. How about you?; Reply to this comment