Mental Health Services for Children & Adolescents
THE URGENT NEED
47%
of pediatric hospital stays are for psychiatric conditions
9 out of 10
Texas counties have zero psychiatric inpatient beds
#50
Texas' national rank in in mental health provider availability
The Texas Legislature appropriated $1.5 million to the Texas A&M University System to study inpatient mental health services for children and adolescents in Texas. The state needed an in-depth analysis of the currently available, inpatient pediatric mental health resources to support the development of a state-wide strategic plan to address the child and adolescent mental health crisis. As a result, the Texas A&M University Health Science Center led a two-year study (2023-2025) to assess the needs and availability of inpatient child and adolescent mental health care in Texas.
The study was a joint effort from the College of Medicine (led by Dr. Israel Liberzon, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine) and the School of Public Health (led by Dr. Marcia Ory, Center for Community Health and Aging) in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas and the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council.
With a goal to identify gaps and strategies for high-acuity pediatric mental health services across the continuum of cate, this study aimed to do 5 things:
- Estimate need and utilization patterns of inpatient pediatric mental health services
- Determine evidence-based best practices for mental health care
- Gain insights from experts and successful programs in other states
- Learn about the current experiences of those seeking and providing care
- Reimagine the landscape of pediatric inpatient mental health care in Texas
Study findings are are summarized in the documents below.