The Association for Youth, Children and Natural Psychology

The AYCNP was registered in 08/2006 as a non profit entity. In 2008 it was incorporated as a New Jersey non-profit corporation. It's board of trustees include professional and non-professional members.

AYCNP is non-political, focuses on education and is not supported or endorsed by any religious organization, although it recognizes the role of spirituality in mental health. It was produced with the help of a number of psychologists, educators, doctors and other professionals from various backgrounds.

The principal editor of the site is John Samuels* of Newark, NJ whose degree is in Social Science and Psychology and holds a NJ certificate in teaching HS Psychology. He currently teaches science and health, with experience in special education. He is a member of the Society for Teaching Psychology (STP) www.teachpsych.org and a contributing member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

Also part of the AYCNP is Jonathan Santiago, Ph.D., a former science teacher and current public school administrator, who holds an Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University, Newark, NJ.

* pen name

Other contributors to the AYCNP site:
There are a number of contributors to the site, who are professionals in the field, including: Sharna Olfman, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology in Point Park University, Pennsylvania; Dr. Nathan Lebowitz, associate professor at Columbia University; Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician, parent and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics; New York chapter of the National Association for Mental Illness; Mental Health America; the NACC, the National Association of Counsel for Children in Denver Colorado and the American Humane Association, both on the subject of child abuse.

Roberta Shoemaker-Beal, MFA, ATR-BC, is an adjunct professor of Art Therapy at St. Mary's of the Woods College, near Terre Haute, Indiana, who contributed to the production of the Art Therapy page.

School Psychologist Keisha Hill,Ed.S., contributed material for the educational psychology page; Louis Kirby, MA, whose expertise is in library science, contributed Biopsychology Beware

The Biofeedback page was reviewed by Network Biofeedback Services, Inc. Lynbrook, New York. Pages on types of physicians and therapists were obtained from the U.S. Government Department of Labor Statistics.

Any articles on this site which have not been contributed are the work of the AYCNP, the editorial board currently consists of Scott Wolfenden and Jonathan Santiago, Ph.D. Articles which have been reviewed or edited by other professionals are clearly stated on the page. All articles from authoritative sources which are included have written permission from the author or organization.

Purpose of site:
The mission of this site is to provide accurate and balanced information on mental health and mental health issues and to provide positive solutions in the form of self-help and lifestyle changes that both adult clients and parents can use to further better general mental health and information concerning specific avenues of self-help, preventive, as well professional therapy.

The site attempts to encourage non-pharmaceutical solutions in mental health and to promote non-pharmaceutical research and professional studies which will help to open up further this method of treating and preventing mental illness.

Additionally, attention to the media's effect on youths and children is given consideration, which is designed to help parents to gain incentive to set reasonable limits at home for children and youths, and to encourage educators in educating parents along these lines.

Audience:
The site is primarily a self-help site to:

1. Adults
2. Parents of Children and Teens
3. Teens, who are encouraged to use the information in this site along with their parents or mental health professional.
4. For educators to better understand how to help children and youths have a positive mental health profile.
5. Professionals in the mental health field, to offer a fresh perspective from the educational field, which we hope can help them to round out knowledge and understanding in the needs of children, youths and adults.
6. Researchers. To stimulate research and clinical studies in non-pharmaceutical treatment of mental health disorders.
7. To mental health professionals and treatment facilities. To encourage less reliance on pharmaceuticals in the treatment of mental health and to encourage the formation of mental health treatment units which offer intensive psycho-education and treatment using non-pharmaceutical methods as an option to clients.

Financial
The AYCNP has been primarily funded through the private contributions of the association's board into 2010. Any money since approximately June, 2010 that the AYCNP through donations, commissions from advertising, presently goes towards costs that have been incurred through the production and maintenance of this site.

Additionally, there are a number of sponsored links and pages on this site which are identified as Business partners, supporters or Strategic business partners. The funds from these sources also finance the not-for-profit activites of the AYCNP.

Any funds from advertising on the site, is also currently used to support the not-for-profit activities of this site and association.

A fund is planned that will use part of any monies received (present, December 2011 through 2012), to provide victims of child abuse, especially children, or children with mental health disorders or learning disabilities, to receive coaching, mentoring, art or music lessons, along with related materials, or to receive professional art, family or other therapy, where this cannot be easily obtained through other sources, and if it is deemed to be useful for the individual by professionals.

In the future, funding may be provided for grants to public schools as initiatives to purchase needed art supplies for mural and other art projects or programs, with the agreement that marginal children or youths, such as those who have impairments as described on this site, or learning disabled students, be included in such projects or summer programs. (Schools, at times, want to initiate such projects, but lack funding for materials).

Members of the Board of Directors have financed the project during 2009 and the years preceding 2009. Since mid-2010, advertising money from the site along with commissions from the sale of publications from the AYCNP, at the average of approximately $200 to $350 per month were used to finance the development of the AYCNP site and publications. Money was also used to purchase books for students, school administrators in public schools, and organizations, for purposes associated with the themes of this site as stated.

AYCNP Community Work

AYCNP participation in Career Day at Greater Newark Charter School. November 18, 2011

Advertising Policy

Advertising on the AYCNP site provides a small fund for covering expenses of the site. In 2009 AYNCP operates at a net loss. Only advertising that is not in conflict with the purpose and mission of the site is permitted. Free site links are provided to individuals or organizations who desire links and whose purpose and mission is in harmony with the AYCNP. Any financial support is voluntary and appreciated. The AYCNP does not permit any advertising that is in any way sexual in nature.

The AYCNP does not necessarily endorse all advertisers on this site.

All links labeled "off-site links" are not paid advertising, but have been provided for further reference.

All links entitled: Strategic partners or strategic business partners
are paid sponsors for the site. Links entitled off-site business links are reciprocal links for which there is no financial reimbursement.

Although we truly recommend all books featured in our website, we have a small economic interested in displaying them with amazon.com links or banners. The small percentage of revenues that may be gained through purchase of books from Amazon.com or any other source helps to support the not for profit activities of AYCNP.

Funding for AYCNP book donations to schools, libraries and other institutions, in connection with mental health and the protection and development of youth and children, is provided with commissions from Amazon-sponsored ads, banner ads for parental internet control software, and other funding from the AYCNP.

AYCNP donates both its own publications and other books of value, in harmony with the scope of its mission, to public schools, public and school libraries, individuals, professionals and other institutions involved in this work. The AYCNP also provides its publications in PDF form, free of cost on the home page of this site for anyone who wishes.

If any public school or public library would like a complimentary copy or copies of Overcoming ADHD Without Medication, kindly send a request, along with the number of books requested to aycnp@winmentalhealth.com.

100% of the commissions received from Amazon sponsored ads on this site, from parental control software ads, as well as additional funds from the AYCNP, have been used for such donations (2011).

Additional funds have also been used to provide books and materials/supplies on art and education to inner city students, as well as to students who show promise in the education and special education fields.

AYCNP
70 Merchant St. Suite 2
Newark, NJ 07105
212-501-2028
aycnp@winmentalhealth.com