The Problem
What is the main social problem affecting children's mental health?
What is limited access to timely, affordable mental health care?
Systems are underfunded and fragmented
How many children experience a mental health disorder each year?
What is 1 in 5 children? According to the CDC
Name one barrier preventing children from getting mental health care.
What are long waitlists, cost, lack of providers, systemic issues, etc?
Untreated mental health issues can negatively affect a child's success in what area
What is school? grades, attendance, behavior, etc.
What types of services improve early mental health support?
What are school-based and community mental health services?
Why are children especially vulnerable to this issue?
What is they depend on adults and systems to access care?
What percentage of youth receive adequate treatment in the U.S?
What is less than 50%? (Hill et al., 2025)
True or False: Most mental health providers accept all types of insurance?
What is false?
Many do not accept Medicaid, limiting access further!
Youth mental health challenges impact which major systems in a child's life?
What are schools, healthcare, and the juvenile justice system?
The effects of lack of access go beyond the child.
Who can you contact to advocate for policy change?
What are state/federal legislators?
Is youth mental health a personal failure or a systemic issue?
What is a systemic issue? (Driven by policy and funding decisions)
What do studies show about caregiver experiences accessing services?
What is over half reporting difficulty accessing care? (Radez et al., 2024)
What happens when early intervention is unavailable?
What is issues escalate into crises?
Leads to need for higher-level care
Due to prevention being limited, which type of care happens more often?
What is crisis care?
The system responds after problems get worse.
Name one way to make it easier for children to get mental health care?
What is more funding for services and better payment for providers?
Helps expand the workforce and increase access!