The rate of young people with urgent mental health needs has increased, including in Eugene-Springfield. A new program aims to help.
A Journal of Pediatric Nursing report shows the rate of 5 to 17 year-olds seeking emergency mental health rose 60 percent over a decade before the pandemic. And PeaceHealth reports seeing an average of 38 youth per month at two sites since COVID-19 hit Oregon.
The Oregon Health Authority has granted $150,000 for PeaceHealth and The Child Center in Springfield for a Crisis and Transition Services (CATS) program in Lane County.
“As resilient as children are -and youth as well - they’re affected just the same way everybody else is," says Kate Lundquist of The Child Center. "Especially when the structure of their lives is really upset.
"So for a lot of kids, not having the ability to go see teachers they may feel really connected with, their friends, structure of school, all that definitely impacts their mental health.”
The CATS program starts this week. It’ll assist PeaceHealth’s University District and Riverbend locations. Lundquist says it does not cost children, youth, or their families to access it.
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