By Elena Rivera
A recent report from Children’s Health in Dallas identified the need for more #mentalhealthcare in North Texas. Both the hospital system and community partners are tackling this issue through training, education and expanded telehealth options.
The #isolation created by the #COVID-19 #pandemic took a toll on many people’s #mentalhealth. That was only amplified for younger people, who are already dealing with uncertainty and #stress.
A recent report by Children’s Health in Dallas found that more than 2,100 young people from across Dallas and Plano were admitted to Children’s Health emergency rooms with suicidal thoughts or #behaviors. Emergency room visits were between 20% and 30% higher for #hospitals in the region than in 2019.
This is on par with national statistics by the #CentersforDiseaseControl that #mentalhealth emergency room visits went up 31% during the #pandemic. The number increased by more than half among #girls aged 12 to 17 in the early months of 2021 compared to 2019.
The Children’s Health report, “Beyond ABC: Assessing the Well-Being of #Children in North Texas, highlighted the need for stronger treatment and prevention. It looked at Dallas, Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin and Grayson counties, covering nearly 1.2 million children in the region.
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
How community partners are tackling these issues
For Jennifer Bartkowksi, the CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, the statistics are especially concerning. She said the organization put together a #mentalhealth initiative in late 2019 before the #pandemic started, but realized the continued need for services when #girls came together for summer camp this year.
“We started to see that the #girls had really elevated levels of feelings of #anxiety, #depression, even #suicidalideation, levels that we’d never seen before,” Bartkowski said. “We’d seen them come with stuff that we had to manage, but we really needed #mentalhealthprofessionals on-site.”
She said the organization hired more people to support Girl Scout troops, but it realized the need for a safe space for girls needing to talk about their feelings. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas launched the Okay to Say patch program, a collaboration with the Meadows #MentalHealth Policy Institute, to teach girls of all ages about #mentalhealth and wellness.
“It’s really helping them gain a greater sense of social and emotional confidence,” Bartkowski said.
The need for more #pediatric #mentalhealth support
While the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas are tackling #mentalhealth with youth directly, there’s also a need for more education and access for #pediatric providers.
#Pediatric #psychiatrist Dr. Mili Khandheria runs the Child Psychiatric Access Network (CPAN), which the state funded in 2019 to address gaps in #mentalhealthservices for #children.
“There’s a huge shortage of #child #psychiatrists throughout the nation, and particularly in Texas,” Khandheria said. “There’s many counties in Texas with zero child psychiatrists.”
CPAN empowers #pediatricians and other primary care #physicians to treat and assess #patients’ #mentalhealth, through consultations and ongoing training. Khandheria said about 1,400 providers in North Texas have enrolled since May 2020.
“Why primary care providers have not been [treating #mentalhealthissues] is just the unknown,” Khandheria said. “I believe by continuing to educate them about these issues, it’ll aid significantly in their comfort levels.”
Dr. Dawn Johnson, the medical director of Children’s Health Pediatric Group, also said telehealth is one way to improve #mentalhealthcare for youth. She said it’s improved access to care for people and families who may experience barriers like childcare, transportation and cost.
“I can do telehealth visits with #patients while they’re at work at McDonald’s,” Johnson said. “They take a break, get on their [phone], meet with me, and then go back to work. It has given us improved access to care for our most vulnerable populations that may struggle to get to appointments.”
Advice for #parents to address #youth #mentalhealthissues
Both Girl Scout CEO Bartkowski and pediatric #physician Khandheria added that beyond health providers and community groups, #parents are essential in helping kids get the support they need, especially as the #COVID-19 #pandemic is ongoing.
Bartkowski said the number one thing kids need is someone to listen to them.
“Talk to your kids early, as soon as they can conceive of what emotions are, help them talk through that,” Bartkowski said. “#Mentalhealth is not a joke. It can escalate very quickly. We want to make sure our girls and kids across our community are getting access to the services they need.”
Khandheria echoed that early intervention is key for #mentalhealth treatment for young people.
“#Depression doesn’t pop up overnight,” Khandheria said. “It begins gradually over time. It’s important for #parents and caregivers to watch out for the signs.”
She said that warning signs for young people can include withdrawing, a lack of interest in activities, irritability, changes in eating habits and #behavioralissues at school that could include lower grades.
“It was hard with the #pandemic, because we were concerned about #COVID, and so we were having them practice #socialdistancing, which contributed to their #depression symptoms,” Khandheria said. “A lot of the things that help prevent #depression is doing those things that we actually said not to do.”
Khandheria said that by addressing these warning signs early, parents can avoid emergency room visits and create a support network with providers for ongoing care.
Got a tip? Email Elena Rivera at erivera@kera.org. You can follow Elena on Twitter @elenaiswriting.
Elena Rivera is the health reporter at KERA. Before moving to Dallas, Elena covered health in Southern Colorado for KRCC and Colorado Public Radio. Her stories covered #pandemic #mentalhealth support, rural community health access issues and vaccine equity across the region.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
