New data indicates a “low availability of mental health care” for children and teens across the US.
A recent survey conducted by the University of Michigan-based National Voices Project has found that many adults who work or volunteer with America’s youth are concerned at the lack of access to mental health care for children and teens. According to healthfinder.gov,
Participants were asked about the availability of different kinds of health services for children and teens in their communities.
More than half of the respondents said there was “lots of availability” for teens to have hospital care (55 percent) and primary care (56 percent), but only 30 percent said the same was true for mental health care. Availability for children was very similar.
The National Voices Project, “which was created to assess disparities in children’s health, education and economic opportunities at the community level,” released a university news release from their director, Dr. Matthew Davis in which he said,
These findings indicate low availability of mental health care for children and teens in the majority of communities across the US. Even in communities where there are lots of opportunities for children and teens to get primary care or hospital care, access to mental health care is lacking.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the data also indicates that in the communities where those surveyed believe there are “racial/ethnic inequalities,” children and teens not only had less access to mental health care than in other areas of the nation, but to any type of health care overall.
Photo: Lucia Whittaker/Flickr
I can only speak for Illinois where I can attest that mental health services, throughout the state is limited at best. A few years ago, “managed care” hit the state and mental health services. The company I work for closed its girls residential treatment facility. Fortunately, it was the only residential casualty within our system. Not so lucky were countless other residential and out-patient programs throughout the state. Those of us who survived, went from a 6 to 9 month program to a 15 to 30 day program. Fortunately, managed care was pulled back and we managed to develop a… Read more »