Thanks to our friends at the National Association of State Mental Health Directors (NASHMPD) for this important clarification on state funding for children's mental health services of a states total mental health budget. In our original email to our membership discussing the proposed 2013 SAMHSA budget we stated that an average of 10% state funding goes to children's mental health services. Data from the NASHMPD Research Institute, Inc. shows a higher figure of 22%. We appreciate the clarification!

From the NASMHPD Research Institute, Inc.

• Our state FY Revenues and Expenditures data shows the following breakout with 22% of SMHA Expenditures reported for Children ($8.4 Billion) and that is probably an underestimate, since 13% of expenditures are Not broken out by Age (Age NA).  The proportion for Children in State hospitals is much lower, but that is because many states treat very few children in State hospitals.  The Community MH share for children is listed at 30% (again, and probably an underestimate because 15% of Community expenditures were not broken out by Age (Age NA = 15%):
  
  

• 2010 URS data on Utilization, shows that of the 6.8 million consumers served by SMHAs, that 26.4% were under age 18 and another 5% were age 18-20 (for a total of 31.4% under age 21). The highest utilization rate (number served divided by population in that age group) were teenagers aged 13-17 who were served at a much higher rate of any other age group.

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