Increase in mental health challenges in children and teens | News
Healthcare officials are sharing that children and teens are facing increased mental health challenges.
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) — Healthcare officials are sharing that children and teens are facing increased mental health challenges.
The nonprofit Mental Health America reports that over 20% of youth ages 12-17 suffered from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) and 15% experience MDE with severe impairment to work, school, or home.
The President of the Gundersen Region of Emplify Health, Heather Schimmers, said there’s been a continuous increase in mental health challenges in kids and in teens locally.
They’re facing challenges like anxiety, depression and other stress-related disorders.
Those challenges can be worsened by social pressures, academic expectations and lingering affects of the pandemic.
Which, Schimmers said, is why young people need to have access to timely and effective care.
“I think early education is so critical and building lifelong resilience in all things,” Schimmers said. “We talk about healthy eating from the moment our babies are born. So when children and teens are equipped with tools to help them just recognize and manage mental health challenges, they’re going to be more likely to seek help and then also support others who need to seek help.”
She said the stigma around mental health has improved but there is still work to do – especially around suicide.
“ I think that we’ve made so much progress in having open conversations about mental health, but I do think suicide awareness and prevention need way more focus than we have in the past,” Schimmers said. “I think it’s a difficult topic. It’s a very difficult topic to talk about and that can sometimes hinder that early intervention.”
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposal includes expansion for suicide prevention and mental health training in schools.
A move that Schimmers agrees with. “I applaud the Governor for recognizing the continual urgent need to invest in mental health services.”
For information on Gundersen Health System’s behavioral health resources, click here.
Mental Health Resources
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