WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 pandemic is putting enormous stress on children’s mental health, which is why Congress should act now to protect our nation’s youth over the long term by addressing shortages of mental health providers and increasing access to school-based behavioral and physical health care, according to the chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.
“Children and adolescents have been especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing higher rates of stress, anxiety and fear. Social isolation, financial uncertainty and disrupted routines place considerable stress on children and their families,” APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (PDF, 326KB)opens in new window. “While APA appreciates Congress’ significant investments in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, part of the problem is that such funding is temporary, which often inhibits the ability of states and school systems to make long-term investments in their mental health workforce and infrastructure. New investments must be made with the understanding that a long-term commitment is needed.”
Evans cited psychological research showing that the mental health of children is frequently tied to the health of their surroundings, including their communities, their schools and their homes. “If traumatic events are occurring in these settings, they almost always have a downstream impact on children’s well-being,” he said.
Failing to treat children’s mental health needs can have an impact on the overall trajectory of their lives, he said. “This can include a greater likelihood of difficulties with learning, addiction to substances, lower employment prospects and involvement with the criminal justice system,” he told the subcommittee. “This concern is amplified for individuals from underserved communities and communities of color, who have long struggled with the social determinants that lead to behavioral health concerns and inadequate access to behavioral health services.”
Evans called for moving away from the over reliance on acute care and crisis services for children and adolescents toward a population health approach that emphasizes prevention and treatment and moves services into the places where people live, work and play, thus reaching more children at their earliest point of need. This involves a multi-tiered approach, including: 1) effective and efficient clinical care for those experiencing behavioral health disorders; 2) mitigating the impact of risk factors for those individuals who have elevated risk for behavioral health disorders and intervening early if those efforts are not successful; and 3) providing tools and resources that promote wellness for those who are relatively healthy, according to Evans.
“Communities – when properly empowered – play a pivotal role in shaping solutions to their unique challenge,” Evans said. “Research on children’s mental health is urgently needed as we see how the pandemic has uniquely and disproportionately affected children. Scientific research is our best tool for improving public health and educational systems to help children overcome the challenges of the pandemic and ensuring preparedness for subsequent crises.”
Evans called on Congress to pass legislation that would increase the number of psychologists and other mental health providers, including school-based mental health professionals, who are in very short supply, with only one school psychologist for every 1,400 students. He also called on the panel to increase Medicaid funding to schools and to permanently extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
“Federal, state and local governments should be working in concert to ensure that all children continue to have access to equitable education and support services, while staying mentally and physically healthy,” he said.