On Oct. 19, 2021, the organizations declared the state of youth mental health in the U.S. a national state of emergency. To acknowledge the one-year anniversary of the declaration, the groups sent a letter with more than 130 signatories to the Biden administration stressing the need to do more to address children’s mental health needs, according to an Oct. 13 news release from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Beyond additional funding, the organizations are rallying for a mental health workforce strategy to increase training among pediatric mental health professionals and primary care providers, leading to better mental health treatment outcomes.
“Today is about reemphasizing more must be done to address the current youth mental health crisis and supporting children and families to prevent future illness and tragedies,” Amy Knight, president of the Children’s Hospital Association, said in the release. “The crisis impacts all children — from rural to urban areas, across all socioeconomic backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity and gender. Congress has a chance to invest in the health and well-being of tomorrow’s adults, today.”
