National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is a project of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to increase understanding of children's mental health issues, promote healthy and positive development and recovery. The project aims to promote effective programs to assist children and their families in coping with mental illness.

Children with mental illness are among the most vulnerable of children with disabilities for many reasons. Mental disorders and behavioral disabilities are some of the most difficult to manage in schools, and children with these disorders are often perceived as being a problem rather than having a problem. Social stigma, misunderstanding, and lack of adequate resources place these children at higher risk for institutionalization and legal problems than other children.

Some might say that awareness days are not effective or that they actually "do" little to help, but until social barriers are eliminated, there will always be a need for awareness days. To find out more about why mental health awareness (and sensitivity) are still needed, check out how one insensitive company managed not only to mock the seriousness of mental illness but also make it profitable.