New HHS Study in JAMA Pediatrics Shows Significant Increases in Children Diagnosed with Mental Health Conditions from 2016 to 2020
Findings Show Number of Children Diagnosed with Anxiety or Depression Grew by Nearly 30%,
Underscoring Importance of Administration’s Efforts to Strengthen Mental Health.
Download PDF of Study | Visit HHS.gov Site
A new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) study published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Pediatrics reports significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with mental health conditions. The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), finds that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 years diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29 percent and those with depression by 27 percent. The findings also suggest concerning changes in child and family well-being after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has been particularly difficult on our children, who have been as scared and confused as the rest of us were,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Today’s study confirms what all too many of us know and feel in our daily lives: COVID-19 was an exceptional burden on the mental well-being of our nation’s families, including kids. We will do everything we can to help provide our youngest ones with the resources they need to overcome the effects this pandemic and thrive in the years to come.”
Ohio Children’s Alliance Announces Telehealth Grant Award Winners
The Ohio Children’s Alliance is pleased to announce 56 scholarship recipients representing thirty-six (36) community mental health agencies across Ohio. These scholarships were made possible with support from the Ohio Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Scholarships will support mental health specialists to obtain a Certified Tele-Mental Health Provider Credential (BC-TMH). Expanding access to behavioral health services to children is especially important today given the unprecedented need and the mental health workforce shortage. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the virtual world into just about every aspect of our lives, including mental health services,” said Mark Mecum, Ohio Children’s Alliance CEO. “As demand increases from families across Ohio, children’s mental health agencies are committed to expanding access to high-quality care through this virtual platform. The Tele-mental Health credential distinguishes these practitioners as leaders in tele-mental health service delivery and signals to families that the services are aligned with best practices.”
For the mental health practitioners and agencies who were awarded scholarships: click here