We need to address the mental health needs of our young
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated rising mental health needs among children and teens. School closures and shifts to online learning have limited access to educational and social opportunities as well as mental health services.
Young people are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma and loneliness, as suicide rates are rising nationally. Mental health challenges can affect success at school and in life, yet few school-age children are able to get the help they need.
Children’s Mental Health Day was May 5, and I want to share one of my efforts as a policymaker who has tried to address and improve the outcomes of children’s mental health over the years. In a recent article discussing how our county health department is struggling to manage our youth mental health crisis, there seems to be a common request from our County Council members — they want more data.
As a staunch advocate for mental health, I put forth a bill to support student mental health. This was a product of years of collaboration between parents, the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, the Anne Arundel County NAACP, school psychologists and Anne Arundel Community College students.
It was disheartening that this muchneeded bill did not move out of the House Ways and Means committee, because there is an immediate need for behavioral health services and care coordination.
The bill was fully consistent with the recommendations from the Anne Arundel Mental Health Task Force with a focus on providing mental and behavioral health support to schoolchildren. It would help identify gaps where new services are needed and what kind.
The student mental health support system would not have targeted any child by their demographics, but rather would focus on the families who are calling in and from referrals received from other agencies such as: Community Resource Initaitive/Care Teams, calls from schools, the county Department of Social Services, the Department of Juvenile Services, and any of the child-serving agencies. The Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency would participate in the program, and families would have the choice whether to let their children participate.
The best approach to youth mental health is having behavioral health experts coordinating care as needed and defining a treatment plan. The treatment plan would be developed with the child and the child’s support system. In addition, care coordinators would work to remove barriers for the successful implementation of the treatment plan. Ultimately, giving more data to the agency so they can better serve the children who may fall through the cracks.
By keeping this program very broad, everyone would have access, and any family that wants services for their child would be able to get them at the right time. The county Mental Health Agency would be able to incorporate this program into their larger crisis system, so other funding sources could be included.
We all share this concern and must ensure that children in need of behavioral health services are able to access them. This is one way we can improve mental and behavioral health outcomes in our county. As your next senator, I would continue to be a steadfast advocate for mental health. We must act now, and I stand ready to work with the administration and the council to find ways to implement this program.