CONNECTICUT, USA — Thursday state leaders and advocates are shining a light on National Children’s Mental Health Day.
Today is a day health professionals say is a time to dive deeper into kids' mental health challenges and look at what helpful resources are available.
This is all happening during National Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s being highlighted by Connecticut Children’s Hospital Children and Families Services, state leaders, and advocates.
Health experts say the children’s mental health crisis began decades before the pandemic was declared but escalated during the isolation and anxiety of the pandemic.
They tell us that suicide rates in children are increasing almost every year, some years even proving to be the second leading cause of child deaths.
Now the state is piloting a program that would bring Urgent Crisis Centers to Connecticut. There will be four centers total with the first two being opened soon in Waterbury and Hartford.
CCH Doctor Melissa Santos tells us it’s time to pay attention to your child’s mental health and get them help when they need it.
“What Covid has done is provided us with the opportunity to fix this, we can work together to revolutionize the way we care about children’s mental health, we have an opportunity to get this right,” Santos said.
There are several mental health resources available for both kids and parents. To find out which services may be best for you during a time of difficulty, you can call 211 or go to https://www.connecticutchildrens.org.
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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