With the ongoing closures of schools, playgrounds, sports and other extracurriculars, children are missing out on large pieces of their development.
I’m seeing a spike in children with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideations in my practice. The current state of children’s mental health is concerning not only for the near future, but also for the long-term effects it may have on this generation and society as a whole.
Due to systemic inequities, children and teens of color are affected more often when it comes to mental health crises, with Latinos ages 10 through 19 representing nearly 40 percent of the total deaths by suicide among Californians in this age range in 2017.
The simple truth is that California does not have a sustainable, long-term plan to support children and teenager’s mental well-being. We cannot continue to cobble together a broken system that perpetuates inequity. Here are some recommendations.
In California, we now regularly see wildfires rip through communities, forcing mass evacuations, devastating homes and sometimes claiming lives. And this summer, on top of fire season, we have COVID-19.
These disasters also take a toll on mental health. We want to hear your story.
If you’ve been affected by a wildfire in the last 10 years, or if you are a mental health professional working with survivors, you can help by filling out a brief survey.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, hotlines in California and across the U.S. are seeing a spike in activity that might be unprecedented. That’s because the situation is, too.
The California Peer-Run Warm Line, which provides non-emergency assistance for those seeking emotional support, has seen an 80 percent jump in calls in recent weeks.
California’s top health priority should be making sure that people who need mental health treatment can get it, over 90 percent of respondents said in a recent poll.
People of color often feel the lack of access more acutely, researchers found, with 75 percent of black and 57 percent of Latino respondents noting that their communities don’t have enough mental health providers, compared to 49 percent of white participants.
Governor Newsom’s budget proposals could make real progress in ending inequities and boosting health in California.
But national political leaders should also be asking: What forces shape health and well-being—today and in the future? What do Americans really need and want in terms of health? Can we design a healthier future for all of us, not just people with the most money and privilege?
The federal administration’s attacks on immigrant families and children have been relentless. An entire generation of children is being traumatized.
As the daughter of immigrants and the president of a children’s advocacy organization that advocates for the healthy development and wellbeing of all children, this period of crisis is both personal and professional.
Newly released data reveals that more than a quarter of California children in foster care don’t receive timely medical or dental exams, increasing their risk of having health problems that go unaddressed.
Should health plans do more to support parents in raising stable families?
That’s the recommendation from a coalition of child health researchers who are calling for an overhaul of part of the state’s Medi-Cal program.
At a time when a third of the state’s population relies on government-funded health care, most California counties are failing to apply for millions of dollars that could be used to broaden access to mental health care, an analysis by the California Health Report has found.