LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – Allen County Public Health received a grant from the Ohio Department of Health after the county ranked among the top 12 in Ohio for youth suicide deaths in 2024.
If you know a child that could be facing challenges with their mental health, do you know where you can turn? And, while there are resources available for children to get mental health help, some families face barriers to getting the care that they need.
“20% of adolescents ages 12-17 reported having unmet mental health care needs based on CDC 2023 statistics. There are many reasons this can occur including stigma or shame due to the fear of being labeled as weak or different, causes youth to hide their symptoms while cultural stigmas can also prevent individuals from seeking help. Lack of trust in providers due to fears of confidentiality not being kept, social or environmental pressure from bullies, academia, social media, and exposure to adversity increases mental health risk. There are also systemic hurdles such as the cost of services, lack of insurance coverage, transportation barriers, waiting lists, and lack of privacy for virtual appointments. Low mental health literacy such as not knowing what are the symptoms that should be looked for or how to ask the hard questions such as are you planning on killing yourself,” says Elizabeth Osborne – Ohio State University/Lima, Behavioral Health Specialist.
“I think one of the biggest barriers that parents encounter one they don’t they just don’t know where to go. A lot of times, there has been stigma attached to mental health concerns for their children. Shame can be another issue that they are afraid to reach out and ask for help, even though resources are out there. Many companies have EAP (Employee Assistance Program) programs that will serve not only the employee, but their family and their children as well. I think sometimes people just are nervous to ask for help. If something was wrong with your child, if your child had asthma or your child had diabetes, you wouldn’t be afraid to go to the doctor. So, we don’t think that people should be afraid to reach out and ask. It’s not a shortcoming. My mother always said there’s no handbook that comes with parenting, and just because things were done a certain way in the past and things were passed down doesn’t mean that they have to be done the same way today. So, if your child needs help, you are a good parent, and break the stigma, the cycle, and just reach out and get them the help they need,” says Reba Wall, Focus Group Participant
While families wait for long term help there are short-term options through the child’s school or community agencies that could offer in person or telehealth services.
“We also have the 988 call or text line that youth and family members can reach out to if they are concerned and they need someone to talk to. If there is immediate concern the individual can be taken to the local emergency room and someone can come asses the person to see if inpatient treatment is needed or if say for example parents go on vacation and leave a 16 year old home alone for a night and friends are concerned as they are not answering the phone a well check can be made to the local police and they can go check on the 16 year old. In regard to education you can reach out to the local PASS and they offer several courses to educate families on how to ask questions and what to watch out for. These trainings,” adds Osborne.
By increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and strengthening connections to available resources, we can work together to support youth mental health and prevent future tragedies. If you or someone you know needs help, reach out. Support is available, and you are not alone.
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