Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) sent a joint letter with over 130 signatories to the Biden administration requesting a federal declaration of a National State of Emergency for Children’s Mental Health.
This crisis has been building for many years, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating already concerning statistics. A recent study by JAMA Pediatrics found that depression and anxiety in young people doubled during the pandemic, meaning that globally, one in four youth are “experiencing clinically elevated depression symptoms,” while one in five youth are “experiencing clinically elevated anxiety symptoms.”
Every day, Integral Care supports the mental health of our children and youth in Travis County. We offer programs to children, families and school personnel including clinic and school-based individual, group and family counseling, suicide prevention, medication support, case management, family education and support, in-home mental health support for children, crisis services, skills training, teacher training and wraparound support. We also provide these services to specialized populations such as youth on probation, in foster care or at risk of homelessness. Our goal is to make sure children and families have the tools they need to meet their full potential.
