US National and State-Level Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders and Disparities of Mental Health Care Use in Children

Whitney, Daniel G.; Peterson, Mark D.

doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399

Cited by 541 publications

(337 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

300

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, the capacity of screening, referral, and follow-up to improve the welfare of traumatized children and their families is constrained by the number of qualified service providers available in their communities. Estimates suggest that one in five children have a mental health disorder, yet only half are identified, and only half of identified children receive appropriate treatment (Whitney & Peterson, 2019). A critical shortage of service providers trained to identify, provide referrals, and treat childhood adversity has been observed across fields of practice.…”

Section: Insufficiently Trained Workforcementioning

confidence: 99%

Screening for Childhood Adversity: Contemporary Challenges and Recommendations

Bartlett

2020

ADV RES SCI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Childhood adversity is prevalent in the USA, affecting at least half of all children and youth. Growing awareness of its prevalence and harmful effects on individual health and development over the lifespan has prompted considerable interest among policymakers, program leaders, and other stakeholders in screening individual children for adversity as a first step in preventing and mitigating its negative effects. Given the vulnerability of this population, concerted efforts first should be made to ensure screening for adversity is beneficial to children and minimizes potential harm. Of particular concern is widespread use of screening tools that define adversity narrowly, failing to account for social and structural inequities (e.g., poverty, discrimination, forcible separation from a parent) or to take a child's trauma symptoms, overall development, strengths, and culture into account. Furthermore, screening in the absence of a system for referral and treatment risks being ineffective, and even harmful, to children and their families. This paper reviews major challenges related to developing and selecting tools to screen for childhood adversity, and offers recommendations for a comprehensive, strengths-based, trauma-informed screening approach that incorporates sensitivity to a child's development, environment, and culture.

show abstract

Section: Insufficiently Trained Workforcementioning

confidence: 99%

Screening for Childhood Adversity: Contemporary Challenges and Recommendations

Bartlett

2020

ADV RES SCI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…More than half of the children in the United States with a treatable mental health disorder do not receive treatment from a mental health professional. [1][2][3] One of the driving factors contributing to this unmet need is a shortage in child psychiatrists, which is compounded by growing demand for treatment that places additional pressure on a limited supply of providers. 4 Improved screening and diagnostic tools for childhood mental disorders, 5 expanded child health insurance coverage, 6,7 and greater caregiver awareness of pediatric mental health conditions all contribute to this increased demand.…”

Section: What This Study Addsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth and Distribution of Child Psychiatrists in the United States: 2007–2016

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BACKGROUND: Historically, there has been a shortage of child psychiatrists in the United States, undermining access to care. This study updated trends in the growth and distribution of child psychiatrists over the past decade. METHODS: Data from the Area Health Resource Files were used to compare the number of child psychiatrists per 100 000 children ages 0 to 19 between 2007 and 2016 by state and county. We also examined sociodemographic characteristics associated with the density of child psychiatrists at the county level over this period using negative binomial multivariable models. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2016, the number of child psychiatrists in the United States increased from 6590 to 7991, a 21.3% gain. The number of child psychiatrists per 100 000 children also grew from 8.01 to 9.75, connoting a 21.7% increase. County-and state-level growth varied widely, with 6 states observing a decline in the ratio of child psychiatrists (ID, IN, KS, ND, SC, and SD) and 6 states increasing by .50% (AK, AR, NH, NV, OK, and RI). Seventy percent of counties had no child psychiatrists in both 2007 and 2016. Child psychiatrists were significantly more likely to practice in high-income counties (P , .001), counties with higher levels of postsecondary education (P , .001), and metropolitan counties compared with those adjacent to metropolitan regions (P , .05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increased ratio of child psychiatrists per 100 000 children in the United States over the past decade, there remains a dearth of child psychiatrists, particularly in parts of the United States with lower levels of income and education.

show abstract

“…North Carolina's mental health care needs are great, especially when it comes to the pediatric population. Data from the Sheps Center demonstrate that more than a quarter of North Carolina's counties do not have a psychologist [18] and recently North Carolina was ranked last of all 50 states in the rate of children with mental health conditions getting the treatment they need [19].…”

Section: Special Needs In Mental Health Carementioning

confidence: 99%