Emma P. Pelkey and William (Will) Stinman, attorneys the Health Care & Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Portland office, co-authored an article in AHLA’s Health Law Connections, titled “Technology as a Tool to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis.” (Read the full version – subscription required.)
Following is an excerpt:
The youth mental health crisis shows no signs of slowing down. The mental health issues of youth—diagnosed and undiagnosed, treated and untreated—persist and perplex providers, parents, and politicians alike. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 reported a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, while only about 20% received care from a mental health provider. From 2011 to 2015, emergency department visits for youth experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental health crises were up 28%, and between 2007 and 2018, suicide rates among youth ages 10 to 24 increased by 57%. The situation is so dire that in 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, and the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory discussing the increasing rates of mental health challenges among youth.
