World Mental Health Day is held annually on Oct. 10. It raises awareness of mental health and advocates for stronger mental health supports. The day also brings global mental health organizations together to mobilize resources and strategies.

This year’s theme, “Access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies,” highlights the urgent need to support people affected by humanitarian disasters. According to the World Health Organization, almost all people affected by emergencies experience psychological distress. However, this distress typically improves over time.

While children and youth often show incredible resilience in times of crisis, it is important to understand how they are impacted by traumatic events and how they can be helped. Traumatic events also occur in everyday life — such as injuries, maltreatment or witnessing the death of a loved one.

Even after children have experienced a serious adversity, it is possible to prevent mental health symptoms from developing — and adding further to their distress and burdens. To learn more about helping children cope with trauma, see Vol. 15, No. 1 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.