Study shows increase in admissions, Emergency Department (ED) visits among children, adolescents

According to research by Clarify Health Institute, mental health inpatient admissions for children and adolescents spiked 61 percent and emergency room visits increased by 21 percent between 2016-2021. During this period, however, in-person office and outpatient mental health services rose by only five percent, although significant declines can be partially attributed to the first year of the pandemic.
Clarify Health conducted an on-going investigation of trends in children’s mental and behavioral health using a national sample of insurance claims from more than 20 million children ages one to 19.
The results were compiled into a report entitled, “The Kids Are Not Alright: Pediatric Mental Health Care Utilization 2016-2021,” released in Sep...