Pediatric Providers Have Declared a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. This unprecedented announcement, while heartbreaking, is no surprise given the historical inadequacy of mental health services in the US and the compounding impacts of COVID-19.

The child and adolescent mental health “COVID-19 surge” is breaking a historically inadequate delivery system, and federal, state, and local government agencies are looking to our nation’s children’s hospitals to repair the damage and solve the crisis. But how do you solve a crisis and achieve sustainability for an underfunded and underresourced service area? Plan, advocate, and redefine ROI.