Children's Hospital Joins Local Partners to Address Kids' Mental Health Needs

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the children in our community need our help.

Mental health looks different in all children and can range from chronic stomach aches to suicidal thoughts beginning at the age of five years old. Children are exposed to many potential stressors throughout their day.

Each year, the hospital sees an increased need for mental health support, especially during specific times of the year when children face stressors like testing, graduation, prom and more. During these months, visits and services increased by 73% month-to-month.

Over the last year, we have invested in behavioral and mental health support in many ways, including hiring a director to take the lead on all behavioral health initiatives and expanding the social work team. This has allowed us to further expand the mental health program across the hospital’s healthcare system and offer faster, more accessible care for children and families.

This effort, partnered with a large donor, will allow us to place our first lead behavioral health consultant (BHC) at Oak Ridge Pediatrics beginning this summer. This BHC strategy will serve as a pilot program that will be implemented across our primary care offices in years to come in order to meet our patients where they are – in their communities with their trusted pediatricians.

The Mental Health Initiative Fund is designed to support current initiatives and needs at our hospital as well as help enhance education, assessment tools, programs and access. Help us further expand our mental health program and donate today to make an impact on a child in our community.

Thank you for helping us take care of our future, one child at a time.