What's Inside:
Advocates Celebrate Supreme Court Decision To Ban Juvenile Death Penalty

Teens and Parents Say ADHD Treatment Works

Consumer-Run Mental Health Organizations Receive Boost

First Person: The Dignity of Risk

What Are You Doing For Mental Health Month?

Federal Policy Update

Research Notes

NMHA Tools You Can Use

NMHA’s June Annual Conference Offers the Latest Tools and Strategies

NMHA's 2005 Annual Conference featuring actor/producer Mark Wahlberg and journalist Jane Pauley

Advocates for young people across the nation won a huge victory with the U.S. Supreme Court’s March 1 ruling that declared the juvenile death penalty unconstitutional.

"The Supreme Court's decision confirms what we've known for some time: executing juveniles is unjust and inhumane," said Michael Faenza, president and CEO of NMHA." Youth are different from adults. . . . Most juvenile offenders on death row have suffered extreme abuse and neglect. They cannot—and now will not—be held to the same standards of culpability."

The Court ruled 5-4 in favor of Christopher Simmons, which upheld the Missouri Supreme Court ruling that imposing the death penalty on Simmons, a 17-year-old at the time of his crime, violated the Eighth Constitutional Amendment prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment."

In 12 states across the nation, 73 people will be taken off death row as a result of the court's decision. NMHA has worked tirelessly for years with the American Bar...complete article

Teens and Parents Say ADHD Treatment Works
Survey Shows ADHD Therapies Improve Life for Teens

Teenagers who have attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their parents strongly believe that treating the disorder can lead to significant improvements in school and at home, an NMHA survey conducted last year shows.

Both parents and teen credit the teens’ treatment—in the form of medication, counseling and/or behavior therapy—with contributing to better grades in school, higher selfesteem, improved social relationships and enhanced participation in extracurricular activities.

In particular, after receiving help, 56 percent of teens report that they improved their school grades. A large majority of both groups (81 percent of parents and 73 percent of teens) reported “some to a great deal of improvement” in their ability to feel good and happy. In addition, 70 percent of parents and 61 percent of teens reported some to a great deal of improvement in making new friends.

“ADHD exacerbates the problems all teens grapple with, such as heavy demands at school, more complicated social situations, and a growing desire for independence,” said....complete article