children health

Meg Hartz spent four years trying to secure comprehensive mental health care for her son, and she believes he could have avoided in-patient treatment if she would not have faced so many delays and roadblocks.

Hospital ERs are being upended by a surge of children and adolescents in mental distress during COVID. Staff bring in snacks or queue up Netflix to keep them occupied as they seek beds in psychiatric centers. Private insurance can make the task harder.

Across the Midwest, there are not nearly enough psychiatrists, therapists or direct-care staff to treat a rising tide of young people spiraling into crisis. For these families, the strain can seem unbearable. It’s a story echoed across much of the country. This was true even before COVID-19.

Hospitals have a lot of tests to find a problem, such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. But studies show that Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to get this imaging in an emergency, and that might lead to other health issues.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on children’s mental health across the country. Advocates are trying to address the problem, but resources can be…

A new report finds the number of children without health insurance in Indiana has increased. This is the second year the state has followed this national…