Action needed now to bolster children’s mental health system

In reading recent reports suggesting our mental health system is in crisis, some may be asking, “Is there a doctor in the house?”

During a recent Public Health and Behavioral Health’s Emergency Medical Services for Children Advisory Committee meeting, practitioners noted how a profound lack of available mental health services is eroding the ability to provide emergency care to other children. Chief among the challenges highlighted were:

• Insufficient beds and professionals to provide care

• Woefully inadequate resources for children experiencing additional challenges like substance abuse disorder or an intellectual disability

• The desperate lack of community-based supportive services and outpatient mental health services.

Even more troubling are reports that children are languishing for days or weeks in emergency rooms waiting for beds to become available as they seek mental health services. Further indicative of a system in crisis are reports that parents are surrendering their children to the child welfare system in desperate hopes of getting them mental health services.

So when child welfare workers walked out of Child Haven recently, it was evident that several systems had reached a breaking point. Workers cited unsafe working conditions, dilapidated building conditions and reports of poor nutritional standards. In addition to concerns regarding understaffing, workers highlighted what practitioners were equally noting: the lack of resources to address children’s mental health needs.

A dire result of this concern is that Nevada’s most vulnerable children suffer. At present, our valley has only two children’s mental health facilities, both of which are severely underfunded and understaffed, one of which is slated to close. Worse still, the children who suffer the most from severe emotional and behavioral difficulties have minimal access to mental health services and appropriate levels of support at the frequency, intensity and duration necessary to meet their unique needs.

Let us not forget we are talking about children who are unable to advocate for themselves. These children are removed from inhumane conditions such as starvation, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and violence, and often are victims of addiction, then get taken into custody by child welfare. These children now are dependent upon the state for health care, safety, education, food and mental health services. Moreover, in some cases, parents may have even voluntarily surrendered their parental rights in hopes of attaining care for their children.

Either case begs us to act.

According to the 2020 State of Mental Health in America Report, Nevada’s mental health system ranks 51st in the country and 51st in youth mental health. The issue of children’s mental health and well-being in Nevada reflects:

• The need for investment in infrastructure: Enterprise systems that function, buildings, service providers, nutritional standards, foster care system, etc.

• The need to shore up and re-envision treatment in facilities like Oasis and Desert Willow

• The need to attend to mental health workforce issues like recruitment. retention, compensation and professional development

• The challenges of inadequate cost structures and historically low reimbursement rates

• Latent pandemic effects and growing social needs.

While there may be a temptation to ask, “Is there a doctor in the house,” these needs demonstrate that we need more than just a doctor. Whether healing our children or healing the system, we must invest.

Currently, there is $2 billion in federal aid available to the state. This is an unprecedented opportunity to make critical investments in children’s mental health. Now that funding is available, let us have the courage to do what has long been needed — act!

Tiffany Tyler-Garner is the executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance. Patricia Farley is the vice chair of Children’s Advocacy Alliance and founder of Serving Our Kids.