The mental health crisis among kids is worsening. Virginia is widening access to services to help.
Sabrina Moreno | May 28, 2021
Emergency room doctors in Virginia are reporting ERs filled with children waiting for an open bed at psychiatric hospitals. Pediatricians are hearing kids as young as 10 talk about having thoughts of suicide. At least 90,000 Virginians under 18 have had at least one major depressive episode.
Less than half received mental health treatment, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
And as the pandemic worsens an already existing mental health crisis, the state does not have the workforce to meet the need — lagging as far behind as 41st in the country, according to the State of Mental Health in America’s 2020 report.
Virginia is working to change that through the Virginia Mental Health Access Program…
