Maryland Is 2024’s 8th Best State for Children’s Health Care

“Making sure that children have periodic health checks, including well-baby care and all CDC-recommended vaccines, is very important to their healthy development. Dental care is just as important. But just as important is to ensure they lead healthy and safe lives at home, at school, and in their daily lives. That means eating nutritious foods including fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. It also means playing and getting physical activity. And finally, it means avoiding harmful behaviors like using illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Children’s mental health is also very important, and parents should give children a loving and safe environment and avoid excessive use of social media and screens.”
Lawrence Gostin – Distinguished University Professor; Founding O’Neill Chair in Global Health Law; Co-Faculty Director, O’Neill Institute; Director, WHO Collaborating Center on Global Health Law, Georgetown Law

“There are at least three actions that parents, healthcare providers, and the state can take to mitigate the mental health crisis among America’s youth. The first would be to improve access via telehealth. Unlike some other forms of medical treatment, mental health services can be delivered via telehealth without compromising the standard of care. The telehealth option is especially useful for minors with limited transportation. The second would be increasing the number of providers able to deliver this care. Becoming a therapist requires graduate training, and graduate school is expensive. Increasing financial assistance for therapists will help current students complete school at a higher rate and attract more students into these programs. Third would be raising awareness among youth that they can access mental health treatment without the involvement of their parents. While there is variability between states on issues like the minimum age, duration, and the kind of mental health services available, states have used a ‘public health exception’ justification to grant minors access to treatment they might not otherwise pursue if their parents must be involved.”
Abram L Brummett Ph.D., HEC-C – Assistant Professor, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

With America’s youth facing an ongoing mental health crisis, and nearly 60% of them with major depression not receiving treatment, what actions can parents and healthcare providers take to mitigate this crisis?

“Children and teens are feeling socially isolated with increased rates of depression and anxiety. Government, organizations, schools, and the health care system need to help facilitate social connections for youth. Schools working with parents and caregivers need to facilitate better social-emotional learning tools and skills starting in the early grades. We need to address the adverse impact [of] social media. Rates of alienation and depression correlate not just with the pandemic but with universal access to smartphones in middle school. While social media can have a positive effect in supporting some children who feel marginalized, the impact on self-esteem and mental health is increasing[ly] well documented. Even if there wasn’t such negative content, the number of hours children spend on devices including social media often leaves no time for traditional real-world engagement with friends and family, for play, or for being outdoors all of which are connect[ed] to good mental health…The healthcare systems need to be part of the solution. Screening children for mental health issues needs to be universal, but only in coordination with community-based solutions. Problems need to be addressed before the pediatric psych ward. Physicians and other providers work with the patient in front of them assuming the given conditions of the person’s life. Increasingly they are doing this job under duress including time constraints, work overloads, inadequate staff, and complex administrative burdens. We need to break out of this loop.”
Michael Doonan, Ph.D. – Professor, Brandeis University