Michael Coughlin, executive director

To the editor:

No one knows the exact number of children who have been negatively affected by violent events. The National Center for Victims of Crime asserts that 40-percent of all American adolescents have witnessed at least some form of violence. In Belknap County, where there are about 20,000 children, forty percent is about 8,000. There is no data for children who did not report abuse or were indirect victims of crime.

The trauma experienced by Belknap County victims of crime is personal. The idea of victimization and trauma was brought to the forefront by the Citizen's Council for Children and Families as they sponsored the events of National Crime Victims' Rights Week in April. Organizations such as the Juvenile Justice Advisory Council and New Beginnings have also made great strides in the awareness of this serious issue.

Unfortunately, even now, the relationship between violence and the mental health of the child often goes unrecognized. We know that untreated trauma can have serious consequences later in life. In a study of over 17,000 middle-class American adults, the psychiatrist Vincent Felitti found that people experiencing trauma as children were at a significantly greater risk for serious health impacts later in life, including addiction, attempted suicide, and early death.

This May, as we celebrate Mental Health Month, Genesis Behavioral Health renews our commitment to the children of the Lakes Region. We are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our communities by providing services that promote recovery from mental illness and emotional distress. . Our children are the future of our cities and towns, our state and our country. With services throughout the Lakes Region, Genesis and its community partners are working to ensure a bright future for everyone.

We would like to use Mental Health Month as a reminder that help is available from many agencies, schools, and police throughout the Lakes Region. No one needs to face emotional distress or violence alone. For more information regarding available services contact Genesis Behavioral Health at 524-1100.

Michael Coughlin, executive director

Genesis Behavioral Health