Tuesday’s Children’s Hospital Colorado hosts townhall for parents to understand youth mental health crisis

The Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs is hosting its first town hall of the year on Tuesday night to address the current state of mental health in Colorado kids. They are working to address mental health concerns before they reach the point of needing hospital-level care, especially after launching a kids mental health state of emergency in 2021. Doctors at the hospital have noticed that kids’ mental health often worsens towards the end of the school year in April and May.

According to Dr. Ashley Hayduke of Children’s Hospital, the youth mental health crisis began increasing even before the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic, there was a further increase in mental health issues among children and it has continued to rise since then. More kids are presenting with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and a risk of harming themselves or others. In Colorado, adolescents aged 11 to 18 have seen their rate of poor mental health double since 2018, with almost 10,000 mental health patients seen in Children’s Colorado in 2023.

Doctors have observed that there are now more physical symptoms associated with mental health issues, such as nausea or vomiting. However, the high demand for services has led to long treatment waitlists, causing delays in getting help for some children. It is crucial for parents to identify when their kids are struggling with issues like anxiety and depression so that they can start receiving treatment as soon as possible.

The virtual Mental Health Town Hall on Tuesday, April 23rd from 6-7 p.m. will provide an opportunity for parents to ask experts questions, receive stress management tips, learn about available resources, and more. The event is free and open to the public, and families can register on the Children’s Hospital website.