The Council Responds to the State of Emergency on Child and Adolescent Mental Health

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association declared a state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the inequities that result from structural racism. The Council on Recovery remains steadfast in our goal to help any and every child and adolescent affected by substance use and other mental health disorders in the midst of these national crises.

Child and adolescent mental health had worsened in the decade before the pandemic, with suicide becoming the second leading cause of death among this population by 2018. This only intensified with the challenges children and adolescents faced in the last year and a half. Students lost consistent access to friends and adults supports. Many took on new responsibilities, including childcare, housework and part time jobs, putting added pressure on developing minds. Tragically, more than 140,000 children in the U.S. lost a primary or secondary caregiver to COVID-19, with youth of color disproportionately impacted.

child and adolescent mental health

With substance use disorders and overdoses continually skyrocketing across all demographics, we commend and support the proposals included in this state of emergency declaration, including but not limited to:

  • Increase federal funding dedicated to ensuring all families and children can access evidence-based mental health screening, diagnosis, and treatment to appropriately address their mental health needs, with particular emphasis on meeting the needs of under-resourced populations.
  • Improve access to technology to assure continued availability of telehealth to provide mental health care to all populations.
  • Increase implementation and sustainable funding of effective models of school-based mental health care.
  • Fully fund comprehensive, community-based systems of care that connect families in need of behavioral health services and supports for their child with evidence-based interventions in their home, community or school.
  • Promote and pay for trauma-informed care services that support relational health and family resilience.

“One thing we know is that children and adolescents are 100% our future,” says Alejandra Ortiz, LMSW, adolescent therapist at the Center for Recovering Families, “And it is our responsibility that they feel empowered and safe enough, physically and mentally, to take on the curve balls life can throw at them.”

The Council’s Center for Recovering Families offers assessment, counseling, education and support for children and adolescents. This can include parent consultations and coaching as well. To learn more about our Children & Adolescent Services, call 713.914.0556, or contact us through our website today.

‘Sesame Street’ Addresses Impact of Addiction on Children

This guest post is written by Kierstin Collins, Clinical Manager of Children and Adolescent Services at The Council

Earlier this month, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, broadcast an initiative to support children and families affected by parental addiction. The newest Muppet to join the Sesame Street group, Karli, is featured in the initiative, whose mom is dealing with addiction. In the new content released, long time characters like Elmo and Abby Cadabby learn what Karli is experiencing and help support her. Resources released through the Sesame Street in Communities program, including videos, articles, and activities, broadcast the words children need to hear most: “You are not alone. You will be taken care of. Addiction is a sickness and, as with any sickness, people need help to get better.” And most importantly: “It’s not your fault.”

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Ten-year-old Salia Woodbury, whose parents are in recovery, poses with “Sesame Street” character Karli. The show recently explained that the puppet is in foster care because her mother is battling addiction. (Flynn Larsen/Sesame Workshop/AP)

In a press release this month Sesame Workshop, shared the motivation behind their efforts saying, “In the United States, there are 5.7 million children under age 11, or one in eight children, living in households with a parent who has a substance abuse disorder—a number that doesn’t include the countless children not living with a parent due to separation or divorce, incarceration, or death as a result of their addiction. One in three of these children will enter foster care due to parental addiction, a number that has grown by more than 50% in the past decade. The trauma of parental addiction can have lasting impacts on a child’s health and wellbeing, but children can be incredibly resilient; the effects of traumatic experiences can be mitigated with the right support from caring adults like the parents, caregivers, and providers this initiative targets.”

The Council on Recovery recognizes that Houston is not immune to these jarring statistics and aims to meet the needs of this special population. The Council has a long history of educating the community about the disease of addiction to break down the stigma and misunderstanding around this complicated family problem.

With the understanding that addiction is a family disease, The Council addresses all those who are touched by addiction, including youth who are at high risk of developing a substance use problem. Children from families of addiction are more likely to use and use problematically at a young age due to both genetic and environmental factors. To address this cycle of addiction, The Council provides services tailored to the developmental needs of youth. In the Kids Camp at The Council program, kids age 7 to 12 participate in three days of games, activities, and group work to gain education, prevention, and support. Kids in the program learn through their experience that addiction is not their fault, they are not alone, their job is to be a kid, and how to take care of themselves. Parents work alongside children to learn age-appropriate language around addiction and how to communicate about hard feelings, problems, and secrets.

As the rate of substance abuse grows in our community, the population of children who are impacted grows alongside it. You know a child who needs us. To interrupt the cycle of addiction and provide hope in the face of addiction, call 713-914-0556 or visit us online at councilonrecovery.org where you can learn more about Kids Camp and other youth services offered at The Council.

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