All across the United States, millions of children have returned to the classroom with the hopes and dreams of learning more to make a better future.
But there is a growing concern around children's mental health. The U.S. Surgeon General has called mental health "the defining public health crisis of our time," and children are not exempt from this alarming trend.
Recent statistics reveal how serious the situation has become. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five children in the U.S. has a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, but only about 20% of those children receive care from a mental health provider. The COVID-19 pandemic further stressed these issues, with reports of increased anxiety, depression and behavioral issues among youth.
Recognizing the urgent need for action, numerous organizations have stepped up to provide crucial support services for children and adolescents. TD Bank, through its Better Health driver of the TD Ready Commitment, is supporting mental health initiatives.
TD Bank has provided grants and community sponsorships to several organizations dedicated to improving children's mental health, including Northwell Health and Nemours Children’s Health.
"At TD, we recognize that mental health is a crucial component of overall well-being, and we are committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and adolescents who need it most," said Paige Carlson-Heim, Head of Social Impact at TD Bank. "Through our collaboration with organizations like Northwell Health and Nemours Children's Health, we are funding initiatives that offer innovative solutions for the children's mental health crisis."
The cultural nuances of mental health
Northwell Health is making significant strides in addressing the mental health crisis among youth. As the largest healthcare provider in New York state, their School Mental Health Partnership Program is a crucial part of this effort, providing students with direct access to mental health professionals within their educational environments.
“The tricky thing about kids is that their job is to change,” said Vera Feuer, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Northwell Health. “So, a change is not really as much of a red flag as it might be with an adult. We really have to understand it in the context of development, culture and family.”
Northwell Health’s approach is holistic, considering the various factors that influence a child’s mental health.
“Kids have a baseline of functioning—how they are, how their personalities are, and how they interact with others around them,” said Dr. Feuer. “When we see significant shifts from that baseline that impact social functioning, academics, or attendance, those can be red flags that something might be going on.”
The collaboration between Northwell Health and local schools is vital in ensuring that children receive the care they need.
“The beautiful thing about our program is that from the hospital, it’s sometimes very difficult to get all these perspectives,” said Dr. Feuer. “Whereas if it’s a collaboration with the school, we can work with the family to help them understand that we’re all focused on the child’s best interests.”
Early Intervention and Culturally Sensitive Care
Nemours Children’s Health, with locations in Florida and Delaware, is another key player in the fight against childhood mental health issues. Their services range from early screening and intervention to more intensive outpatient care, ensuring that children receive the appropriate level of support at the right time.
Dr. Christina Cammarata, a psychologist at Nemours, emphasizes the importance of early intervention.
“Nemours helps children who are struggling with their mental health in a number of ways,” said Dr. Cammarata. “We have a whole continuum of services starting with screening and early intervention all the way up to more intensive outpatient services.”
One of Nemours’ strengths lies in its culturally sensitive approach to care. The group focuses on providing care in different languages in an effort to make families feel more comfortable.
“We know that there are a lot of disparities in healthcare across ethnic and racial groups,” said Dr. Cammarata. “There’s a lot of trauma that those families also experience and a lot of mistrust in some of the healthcare systems. Mental health has a longstanding stigma associated with it.”
To address these challenges, Nemours has implemented programs that actively work to destigmatize mental health care within different cultural communities. “Having that cultural piece is so crucial,” said Dr. Cammarata. “They’ve gone in and done workshops and presentations for families, aiming to demystify these services so that children and families feel welcome and open to receiving care.”
Making a Lasting Impact
The work being done by Northwell Health and Nemours Children’s Health is making a real difference in the lives of children struggling with mental health issues. These organizations provide school-based telehealth programs, early screening and culturally sensitive interventions that enhance communication between mental health professionals and students in need. The ability to offer these programs has allowed Nemours to measure a significant reduction in wait times for patients to see doctors, unlike many other pediatric health specialists in the community.
TD Bank’s collaboration with these initiatives is helping ensure that youth and their families have better access to the support they need.
As Dr. Cammarata from Nemours puts it, “Mental health is healthcare. So many of these areas have such little access [to healthcare services] and having the support from TD Bank helps us implement the initiatives that our community health needs assessment have identified.”
Want to learn more about Our Communities?