Katie Porter: “Kids and teens are facing a mental health crisis. In Orange County, the hospitalization rate for children's mental…”

“Kids and teens are facing a mental health crisis. In Orange County, the hospitalization rate for children's mental illness and substance use disorder increased 88 percent between 2010 and 2019. Just last year, our children's hospital saw a 40 percent increase in mental health admissions in its emergency department. On March 2, National Teen Mental Health Day, we recognize that caring for mental health is a part of raising and educating our kids. Communities should support children's well-being before mental health issues become crises. In Orange County schools, like the ones my kids attend, that work has already begun. Using funds from the American Rescue Plan, the Irvine Unified School District has hired qualified mental health specialists. These professionals are dedicated resources for mental health recovery, and they allow counselors to focus on academic issues and peer relationships and teachers to focus on education. Together with the Children's Hospital of Orange County, schools are building safe, comfortable places for students to heal. These retreats, called WellSpaces, are supported by mental health professionals and help students with the pressures of being kids. WellSpaces are an innovative way to ease the transition to in-person learning after pandemic school closures and to teach mental wellness skills. Just like with physical health, even the best prevention tactics do not eliminate emergencies or stop chronic illnesses.…”