This Star Tribune report suggest that as bad as things are for at-risk youth in MN schools, things are about to get worse as COVID Federal funding disappears. Increasing mental health problems suffered by children during COVID are driving a surge in mental health problems at along with the nurses and mental health help that appeared during COVID.

Childhood trauma does cruel things to children

interrupting their ability to learn in school

and interact with their peers.

Nurses, school counsellors and other medical professionals help these children heal and build skills they need to succeed in school (and beyond).

Anxiety, inappropriate and often violent behaviors caused by trauma, create havoc for damaged children in schools and the community. Learning is interrupted, and punishment for bad behavior becomes the bigger part of their education.

Most traumatized children go untreated or under treated. Because it’s cheaper, psychotropic medications have replaced trauma-based therapies in most of the U.S. There is plenty of evidence that the overuse of these drugs administered without concurrent trauma therapy is a significant and growing problem.

Today, Minnesota schools have

one school psychologist for 1,273 students,

49% of MN schools employ a licensed school nurse,

26% have NO dedicated staff for health services and overall,

In the nation,58% of schools had no treatment

for students with mental health disorders

MN schools average one nurse for 1,403 students.

What will tomorrow look like for these numbers?

According to the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey, approximately 29% of students reported experiencing long-term mental health problems, which is an increase from 23% in 2019 and 18% in 2016.

Nearly 50% of 11th-grade girls reported suffering from mental health issues and behavioral problems, compared to about 20% of boys in the same grade.

These figures might not fully capture the extent of mental health issues among boys, as cultural stereotypes can discourage them from speaking up about their struggles.

The LGBTQ school population suffers six times more depression and anxiety than other students.

40% of them have considered suicide

and half of them have engaged in self-harm in the last year.

Bad happenings in our media, poor results in our schools, and the violence and crime in our neighborhoods, begin here. Minnesota’s former Supreme Court Chief Justice presciently told us that 90% of the youth in our juvenile justice system have come through CPS (Child Protective Services). These are traumatized youth that we have resources but not the will to heal.

2021 saw nearly 80,000 calls to CPS in MN,

Representing 10% of the State’s

K-12 school population. 

We would save money, communities, and children by supporting mental health workers in schools.

Please share this article with your State Representative and other policy makers you know.

The more they know, the better decisions they will make for you, me, and the children involved.

 

Who represents me in the legislature?|Contact state house members|Contact state senators|Contact your member of congressU.S. (National)

INVISIBLECHILDREN – KARA (KIDS AT RISK ACTION

“What we do to our children, they will do to our society”

(Pliny the Elder, 2000 years ago)

KIDS AT RISK NONPROFIT EIN: 510570258

 

Many hospitals are overwhelmed and unable to meet the needs of their community.

A growing number are closing:

AZDHS orders St. Luke’s Behavioral Hospital to cease operations – ABC15 Arizona

ABC15 Arizona

They are effectively closing this hospital and causing disruption of critical services to a vulnerable population with few options for care.”.

Flag as irrelevant

State suspends operations at Phoenix behavioral hospital – AZFamily

AZFamily

They are effectively closing this hospital and causing disruption of critical services … psychiatric services for a high-needs, vulnerable and …

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State-run medical facility in Petersburg to close by 2027 – Longview News-Journal

Longview News-Journal

hospitals, which have struggled with understaffing and an … facilities. (Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services).

Flag as irrelevant
West Springs re-opens youth psychiatric ward after month closure – GJSentinel.com

GJSentinel.com

Mind Springs Health announced Monday that the youth ward of its psychiatric hospital has reopened after closing down for a little more than a …

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State hospital loses funding | News | rutlandherald.com

Rutland Herald

Legislative leaders and mental health advocates said they were generally pleased that the governor wants to accelerate the hospital’s closing, but …

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More Rural Hospitals Are on the Verge of Closing, Report Finds – MedPage Today

MedPage Today

Psychiatry · Pulmonology · Radiology … Many of the hospitals that closed their inpatient services had to close their skilled nursing facilities.”.

Flag as irrelevant
‘Our patients need us’: Employees, residents plead for Carney Hospital to be saved – WBUR

WBUR

psychiatric beds and all ambulatory care services at the hospital. More … Care said Friday that it is closing two of its Massachusetts hospitals …

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Are there bedbugs and busted equipment at your Florida hospital? What inspectors found

Miami Herald

Shut-down services: Fewer patients have sought care at the hospital … Before bankruptcy, the hospital had also closed its inpatient psychiatric and …

Flag as irrelevant

Petersburg medical center operated by state to close by 2027 – Richmond Times-Dispatch

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Some people in state mental hospitals who need medical care already go to nearby general hospitals, rather than Hiram Davis. That’s the plan for …

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A snapshot of child self-harm in the media:

Association of screen-based activities and risk of selfharm and suicidal behaviors among …

PubMed

Child; Cyberbullying / psychology; Cyberbullying / statistics & numerical data; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Risk Factors; Screen Time; Self …

Flag as irrelevant
Protect child mental health during upcoming school year – WPSD Local 6

WPSD Local 6

The CDC indicated that the statistics primarily display seasonal patterns for depressive disorders, suicidal ideation or selfharm, and trauma- and …

Flag as irrelevant
DHS Starts Countdown to a Healthy School Year | Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Wisconsin Department of Health Services – Wisconsin.gov

Make sure vaccinations are up to date · Test for lead poisoning · Come up with an asthma action plan · Know the signs of selfharm · Talk to your kids …

Flag as irrelevant
Oregon teen who died by suicide often talked of ‘getting out of DHS’ – OPB

Oregon Public Broadcasting

If you or someone you love is considering selfharm, support is … kids in hotels recognizing the harm it does. But it didn’t stop. Instead …

Flag as irrelevant
Summer sadness: How parents can help their kids get back to gearing up for the school year

Channel 3000

Parents and caregivers should talk with their child’s health care provider to schedule a blood lead test. … selfharm. Wisconsin emergency department …

Flag as irrelevant
Depressive Symptoms Across Childhood and Adolescence and Adult Psychosocial Outcomes

JAMA Network

Child Development, a prospective population-based Canadian … Premature Death, Suicide, and Nonlethal SelfHarm After Psychiatric Discharge.

Flag as irrelevant

North Texas therapist arrested in Lubbock for alleged abuse of child with autism

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Sharing deep concern about their son’s recent selfharm, as it was … A wanted poster shared by North Richland Hills police said Moreno was wanted for …

Flag as irrelevant
Deputies fatally shoot man in West Haven who reportedly threatened child

Standard-Examiner

selfharm and suspected of being under the influence of drugs. “Upon arrival, deputies found a chaotic domestic scene and began communicating with …

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A win for online child privacy and safety | Commentary | norfolkdailynews.com

The Norfolk Daily News

Videos go viral that promote selfharm and eating disorders. Bullies spew hateful comments, destroying the mental health of our children. We must do …

Flag as irrelevant
5 things to say instead of ‘I’m disappointed in you’ to teens, according to an expert

GoodtoKnow

She added, “While common and perhaps effective in curbing unwanted behaviour, this phrase can also harm a child’s self-esteem and strain your …

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Recent child suicide articles:

Oregon foster child’s suicide prompts state investigation – KATU

KATU

An Oregon 17-year-old foster child died by suicide on Saturday, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health …

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17-year-old foster child dies while housed at Oregon hotel – oregonlive.com

Oregon Live

Oregon officials said a 17-year-old foster child died by suicide Saturday while temporarily staying at a hotel with child-welfare workers who were …

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Oregon teen who died by suicide often talked of ‘getting out of DHS’ – OPB

Oregon Public Broadcasting

Family members and the child’s attorney say the 17-year-old boy spent much of his life in the foster care system.

ODHS and OHA mourn loss of child in foster care, outline next steps – Oregon.gov – Post – Newsroom

Full Coverage

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Oregon agencies review death of foster child who died of suicide in state’s care – KOIN.com

KOIN.com

Oregon officials are investigating the death of a foster child who died by suicide earlier this month. In a joint release, the Oregon Health …

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Child in Oregon state’s custody dies while living in a hotel – OPB

Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon has been under scrutiny for years for placing kids in temporary lodging. A 17-year-old placed in the state’s care died by suicide this week …

Flag as irrelevant

17-year-old and 11-year-old who died after playing with gun in N. Houston have been identified

ABC13

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A teen and a child who died after … boy and the apparent suicide of a 17-year-old. HPD said the two victims …

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Family of Richland County teen sues DSS, children’s home after daughter’s suicide, alleging … – WIS

WIS

The family of a 13-year …

After My Daughter Died By Suicide, I Vowed To Help Save Lives – 18Forty – 18Forty

Family of Richland County teen sues DSS, children’s home after daughter’s suicide – KBTX – KBTX

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant
Youth suicide decedents and documented preceding mental health diagnosis

Contemporary Pediatrics

Investigators of the study, led by Sofia Chaudhary, MD, Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory …

10.1 Developing the “Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention” – Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Suicide Ideation and Attempts in a Pediatric Emergency Department Before and During COVID-19. – Child Welfare Information Gateway Library

Mental health prevention and education for McHenry County youth – Pioneer Center for Human Services

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant
‘Unimaginable loss’: Mother, 2 daughters found dead in suspected murder-suicide, police say – WSAZ

WSAZ

A mother and her two …

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Parents convicted of drug charges after son’s suicide in 2022 – Urbana Daily Citizen

Urbana Daily Citizen

Court records indicate Toby Savage “gifted” firearms to each child with permission to store the weapons unsecured and loaded in their bedrooms for “ …

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Two children dead after accidental shooting, apparent suicide Houston police say

Houston Chronicle

Two Houston juveniles are dead in what police are calling a tragic accident involving a gun at the Timber Crossing Apartment in north Houston …

Two children dead after accidental shooting and apparent suicide, Houston police say – MSN

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant

Father, son found dead in Clearwater apartment after apparent murder-suicide, police say

WFLA

A father and son were found dead Tuesday inside of a Clearwater apartment in what is believed to be a murder-suicide, according to the Clearwater …

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Oregon agencies review death of foster child who died of suicide in state’s care – Yahoo

Yahoo

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon officials are investigating the death of a foster child who died by suicide earlier this month.

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Collaboration underscores success of new State Park Foster Family Passport launch

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare – Idaho.gov

Officials from Parks and Rec, DHW, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, and Idaho Business for the Outdoors joined a half-dozen local foster families to …

Flag as irrelevant
Kirkuk faces rising suicide cases among children amid social media influence – Shafaq News

shafaq.com

Shafaq News/ Kirkuk is confronting a troubling surge in suicide cases among children, with many incidents linked to “suicide videos” viewed on …

Flag as irrelevant
Five coping strategies for Veterans and their loved ones after a suicide attempt – VA News

VA News – VA.gov

If you’re a Veteran who has attempted suicide or you’re supporting a Veteran in your life, VA offers resources to help.

Rep. Lauren Underwood on X: “I introduced the Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means … – twitter.com

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant

Man dead after attempted murder-suicide involving mother at El Camino College in Torrance – KTLA

KTLA

Officers responded to reports of a stabbing at a parking structure near Redondo Beach Boulevard and Stadium Way at around 5:30 p.m., according to the …

Flag as irrelevant

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle launch Parents’ Network to address the dangers of online harm

CBS News

… ‘ Network, to support parents whose children have been victimized by harmful online content, from social media bullying to suicide ideation.

Flag as irrelevant

Auburn police: Man fatally shot himself during child sex crime investigation – The Citizen

The Citizen

AUBURN — A man connected to a child sexual exploitation investigation fatally shot himself during a confrontation with Auburn police officers …

Flag as irrelevant
Suspect dies by suicide in holding cell, officials say – WAFB

WAFB

The Zachary Police …

Flag as irrelevant

Son kills mother during murder/suicide in Ridgeland, police say – WLBT

WLBT

A mother and son are …

Son kills mother during murder/suicide in Ridgeland, police say – WBAY – WBAY

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant
Medicaid for Children with Special Needs (PH95) – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (“Wraparound”); Emergency and Physician Services; Mental Health Treatment; Prescriptions; Medical Supplies …

Flag as irrelevant
Dual Tragedies: Domestic Homicide-Suicides with a Firearm | Everytown Research & Policy

Everytown Research

Threats against children and family members; History of traumatic events (e.g., childhood exposure to violence); Suicidal behaviors, such as suicidal …

My son’s biological father committed murder-suicide and I’m not okay : r/offmychest – Reddit – Reddit

Full Coverage

Flag as irrelevant
MDHHS confirms detection of influenza A H3N2 variant (swine flu) in Ingham County

State of Michigan

Go to Victim Services. The Division of Victim Services (DVS) provides a voice advocating for and responding to all victims of crime in Michigan.

Flag as irrelevant
Gun Deaths Fell in 2023 — Except Among Kids – The Trace

The Trace

child gun deaths rose, and gun suicides hit a record high. By Chip Brownlee and Jennifer Mascia. Aug 6, 2024. A child runs across the street in the …

Flag as irrelevant
Suspect ID’d in teen’s 1996 murder, he dies by suicide hours after being questioned

ABC30

Paul Hutchinson, who worked for the Montana Bureau of Land Management, had no criminal history and was married with two children, officials said.

Flag as irrelevant
MPD Reports: Concern about grandmother’s suicide threats; adult and child steal drinks …

Monroe Local News

MPD Reports: Concern about grandmother’s suicide threats; adult and child steal drinks from residence; equipment violations result in charges for …

Flag as irrelevant
After failed suicide, Miami-Dade mother to appear in court over her twins’ death

WPLG Local 10

A mother suspected of poisoning her twin toddlers before a failed suicide attempt on Feb. 2 was set to face more charges in Miami-Dade County …

Flag as irrelevant
Meghan: I’m airing my struggle with suicidal thoughts to help others – The Guardian

The Guardian

Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear on US television to publicise project to tackle child safety online.

Flag as irrelevant
Portland police arrest suspect in deadly Morrill’s Corner shooting

The Portland Press Herald

Police said Aaron Karp surrendered Thursday night and is being held without bail on a homicide charge at the Cumberland County Jail.

Flag as irrelevant

‘Story Unfinished’: Estill County event raises awareness for suicide prevention – WKYT

WKYT

IRVINE, Ky. (WKYT)—A …

Flag as irrelevant
Suicide Risk After Brain Injury – Psychiatric Times

Psychiatric Times

Studies report an increased risk for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and even death by suicide following brain injury.

Flag as irrelevant

Man fatally shot himself as Auburn police investigated child sexual exploitation – The Citizen

The Citizen

AUBURN — A man fatally shot himself during a confrontation with Auburn police officers Thursday at Melone Village, local officials revealed during …

Flag as irrelevant
100-mile relay for CWF | The American Legion

The American Legion

Members and friends of Post 125 in North Adams, Mass., walk to support the Child Welfare Foundation.

Flag as irrelevant
Son allegedly kills mother in murder-suicide in Ridgeland – Yahoo

Yahoo

A mother and son are dead after a murder-suicide took place in Ridgeland during the weekend.

Flag as irrelevant
Bob Brown: “Good Grief” – The Roanoke Star News

The Roanoke Star News

Years ago, our next-door neighbor, a pleasant, engaging, friendly, middle-aged woman hanged herself from the rafters under her screen porch.

Flag as irrelevant

Candice Miller breaks silence after husband Brandon’s suicide – Page Six

Page Six

Influencer Candice Miller is speaking for the first time on her husband Brandon Miller’s tragic death by suicide earlier this summer.

Flag as irrelevant
Evening Briefing in Buffalo: August 9 – Spectrum News

Spectrum News

Your Weather Planner … This evening will turn a lot quieter. While not totally dry, the heaviest rain will be well east of Buffalo. If you have Friday …

Flag as irrelevant
Marietta Man Accused of Child Molestation | Police Fire | mdjonline.com

Marietta Man Accused of Child Molestation | Police Fire | mdjonline.com

Kenneth Antuan Nelson, 48, of Marietta, is accused of performing sex acts on a juvenile under the age of 16 between June 28 and June 29 at a …

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Portage County man charged with raping 9-day-old girl – WKYC

WKYC

According to the criminal complaint from the county sheriff’s office, 27-year-old Steven M. Ferguson is accused of sexually assaulting the child back …

Flag as irrelevant

Mom Who Strangled Infant Son And Drove Around With His Body Learns Fate – Newsweek

Newsweek

Anna Louise Englund claimed she had “bizarre auditory and visual hallucinations” in the months around her 2-month-old son’s death.

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Meghan Markle’s previous experience with suicide inspires new initiative to protect children

TheGrio

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry launch “The Parent Network” to protect families and their children from the dark sides of social media.

Flag as irrelevant
Police: Man dead, woman injured in East Chicago attempted murder-suicide – WGN-TV

WGN-TV

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — A man died and a woman was seriously injured following an attempted murder-suicide Friday morning in East Chicago.

Flag as irrelevant

The Answer Brewpub hosts video game tournament to support suicide prevention – WRIC

WRIC

The Answer Brewpub is hosting a Halo 2 Charity Video Game Tournament for Suicide Prevention at the end of the month.

Flag as irrelevant
400 million people globally have had long COVID, study says

NY1

A new study published in Nature Medicine found about 6% of the population has had persistent health problems after an initial COVID infection.

Flag as irrelevant

Deputies shoot West Haven man holding 2 children hostage – Fox 13

Fox 13

A man holding two children hostage while threatening suicide was shot and killed by Weber County Sheriff’s Office deputies Monday after he …

Flag as irrelevant
Woman found in O’Hare Airport conveyor belt machinery died by suicide – Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Sun-Times

Virginia Christine Vinton, 57, of North Carolina, was pinned in machinery used to move baggage in a restricted area of the airport, officials said …

Flag as irrelevant

Victims identified in Alabama murder-suicide | CBS 42

CBS 42

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) says it is investigating after a shooting near Grove Oak Thursday.

Flag as irrelevant

Mental health reminders as East Texas students prepare for new school year – KLTV

KLTV

As the stressful idea …

Flag as irrelevant
Uptick in Psychiatric Emergency Visits Seen With School Reopening

Rheumatology Advisor

School reopening following COVID-19 disruptions was associated with an increase in acute psychiatric emergencies.

Flag as irrelevant
WEB
Intersectional trends in child and adolescent suicide-related emergency department … – PubMed

PubMed

Across all years and age groups, Black females showed consistently higher rates of suicide-related ED encounters than almost any other subgroup, …

Flag as irrelevant
2024 Educational Series – Coping After Suicide

Coping After Suicide

child, a spouse or partner, and as a friend? … ” Pamela facilitates Coping After Suicide’s Parents Supporting Grieving Children and Relationships & …

Flag as irrelevant
My only child died : r/SuicideWatch – Reddit

Reddit

I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child. I lost my father to suicide in May and I immediately began to plan my suicide …

Flag as irrelevant
6.99 The Impact of Pupil Suicide on Posttrauma and Grief Symptoms in School Staff

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Home … The suicide of a pupil impacts survivors greatly, but most studies on …

Flag as irrelevant
Donate to Raise Awareness About Child Suicide – GoFundMe

GoFundMe

You’re supporting Raise Awareness About Child Suicide. Your donation will benefit Ethan Fitzpatrick. Enter your donation. $200; $500; $750; $1,000

Flag as irrelevant
Mirror Celeb on X: “Most tragic child star deaths – seizure, suicide and murder at hands of …

twitter.com

Most tragic child star deaths – seizure, suicide and murder at hands of own dad https://t.co/OysqLDPPYh.

Flag as irrelevant
Grief Triggers | Christian Suicide Loss

Christian Suicide Loss

It’s the one we never heard before, until our child died. It’s that voice. Utter desolation with all the echoes of emptiness since time began. If your …

Flag as irrelevant
ETTCY Suicide Prevention Event – TN.gov

TN.gov

Young Child Wellness Council · Ombudsman · Children’s Advocacy Days … ETTCY Suicide Prevention Event. September 4, 2024, from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm …

Flag as irrelevant
Fey on X: “knowing that your child commited suicide because they felt unloved or neglected …

X.com

knowing that your child commited suicide because they felt unloved or neglected by you must be such a heavy burden to carry. #LalaNgoxolo.

Flag as irrelevant
Association of screen-based activities and risk of selfharm and suicidal behaviors among …

PubMed

Keywords: Screen-based activity; Selfharm; Suicidal behavior; Young people. … Child; Cyberbullying / psychology; Cyberbullying / statistics …

Flag as irrelevant
Census Reveals Violence, Trauma Among Homeless Youth – Mirage News

Mirage News

1 in 2 young people from this group were known to child protection … 1 in 2 young people reported selfharm, suicide ideation or suicide attempts.

Flag as irrelevant
Victorian homeless children census reveals ‘violence, health emergencies and ongoing trauma’

PS News

very little chance of finding a safe home and the support … One in two young people reported selfharm, suicide ideation or suicide attempts.

Flag as irrelevant

 

Self-harm
One in five children between ages 10-18 engage in intentional

self-harm activities like cutting, burning or hitting themselves.

In a study of hospital presentations for self-harm in England, 39% of the 387 children
aged 5-12 years old were aged 5-11 years.61.5% of these children had self-poisoned, with
50.6% ingesting painkillers.. 45% of those who self-injured had cut or stabbed
themselves, while 28.9% used hanging or asphyxiation methods

Suicide:
● Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death among children aged 5-11 years in the United
States

Suicide rates among children aged 10-14 years

have nearly tripled between 2007 and 2017 in the U.S.

● Most child suicides (95.5%) occurred at home,

often in the child’s bedroom (65.6%)

Hanging/suffocation (78.4%) and firearms (18.7%,

often unsecured guns at home) were
the most common methods.

Linking Child Abuse and Suicide
● Children who experienced sexual abuse were 3 times more likely to attempt suicide
compared to those who did not experience abuse.

● “…Nearly 5% of children who had experienced child abuse attempted suicide in the 10
years after their admission, and more than 36% of patients had a record of repeated
suicide attempt in the 20 years after the initial admission.”

Child Protective Services
● CPS agencies received an estimated 3,987,000 referrals involving approximately 7.18
million children in 2021, a rate of 27.6 referrals per 1,000 children.

● Among children first investigated for neglect as infants,

around 80% had at least one

subsequent CPS referral by age 18.

Children involved in the CPS system need and deserve mental health evaluation and services. They have suffered extended exposure to violence and deprivation (or they would not be in Child Protective Services).

Helping children heal from repeated trauma and abuse while still young is more kind and effective than waiting for damaging behaviors to surface and cause serious problems that hurt them and people around them.

Many states and communities do not test for ACEs when children are removed from their homes and placed into CPS. There is no federal mandate to do so. The ACEs testing is simple and painless. Compiling this information would have lasting value to the child, CPS system, and the community. Suicide has been a leading cause of death for children 10-14 for many years.

ACEs testing is an easy and inexpensive way to evaluate the mental health needs of abused and neglected children entering the scary Court Child Protection System. If this data were used for the child it would help both the child and the institution by knowing the depth and scope of the mental health issues being dealt with.

There needs to be more awareness about the mental health issues of children being referred to CPS. Without more data from CPS about the numbers of children living with ACES we will never know the needs of most at risk children.

CPS knows but rarely shares data critical to understanding so much of what is impacting our communities today.  It can’t be reported to the news, because the information isn’t there. We all suffer because of this.

KARA reports on the issues of invisible children

This article submitted by Former CASA Guardian Ad Litem volunteer Mike Tikkanen

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Read the JAMA report below about 

Children/Adolescents With Suicidal Ideation

and the Emergency it is today:

From JAMA:Despite being preventable, suicide remains the second-leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the US.1 Up to 80% of children and adolescents who die by suicide interfaced with the health care system in the year prior to their death,2 indicating an opportunity for improved risk recognition and intervention. In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, because existing severe mental health challenges among children and adolescents worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatric mental health clinicians and treatment facilities are critically overburdened, delaying access and resulting in increased emergency department (ED) use for mental health concerns.”

Also from the JAMA article: Pediatric emergency medicine clinicians have witnessed the worsening public health epidemic of mental illness in children and adolescents. Over the past decade, pediatric ED visits for mental health have disproportionately increased relative to non–mental health emergencies.3 ED clinicians frequently manage previously unrecognized mental health disorders, self-harm behaviors, nonfatal ingestions, and suicide attempts among children and adolescents.

Suturing self-inflicted lacerations, providing chemical restraint for acute agitation, and engaging these patients with suicidal ideations in safety planning have become common practice in the ED.

 

However, despite an increasing referral base from health care clinics, mental health crisis centers, schools, and community-based services, ED clinicians and staff lack formal training in the management of mental and behavioral health crises and are insufficiently skilled in suicide risk recognition and safety planning. This results in an increasing number of children and adolescents experiencing extended boarding times in the ED while awaiting evaluation and disposition planning by a licensed mental health clinician. The role of ED clinicians is currently to stabilize and determine disposition of patients with mental illness. The system is completely encumbered by the limitations ED clinicians face in offering equitable, competent, timely, community-informed, and individually focused care for children and adolescents with unmet mental and behavioral health needs.

Student Interns Hannah Rabinovitz and Analize Monson from Baypath University contributed to this article