"The C Word in the Hallways" is an essay that Anna Quindlen originally wrote in Newsweek in 1999. Though it was written 17 years ago, it is still relevant today. Her main idea is that many children who need mental health help don't receive this help because of the way in which mental health is stigmatized in the country. The "c" word refers to the way in which people speak about "crazy" people without truly understanding what they need and demean mental health help. Quindlen states that the Center for Mental Health Services believes that there are 6 million children in the U.S. with mental health disorders (today, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 20% of children 13-18 have a mental health condition; see the link below). Quindlen cites the cases of several children who committed atrocities because they did not receive all the mental health services they required. The reasons that children do not receive mental health treatment include lack of insurance coverage, poor training among teachers about mental health issues, and the stigma parents feel about getting their children help and admitting that their children have a problem.
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