Mental Health Treatment - Children in United States
United States
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United States Value:
82.5%
Percent of children ages 12-17 who receive needed mental health treatment or counseling (2-year estimate)
Mental Health Treatment - Children in depth:
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Mental Health Treatment - Children by State
Percent of children ages 12-17 who receive needed mental health treatment or counseling (2-year estimate)
Mental Health Treatment - Children in
Data from National Survey of Children's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), 2022-2023
>= 87.9%
85.9% - 87.8%
82.4% - 85.8%
77.4% - 82.3%
<= 77.3%
Mental Health Treatment - Children
- National Survey of Children's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), 2022-2023
About Mental Health Treatment - Children
US Value: 82.5%
Top State(s): Iowa: 95.9%
Bottom State(s): Florida: 69.0%
Definition: Percent of children ages 12-17 who receive needed mental health treatment or counseling (2-year estimate)
Data Source and Years(s): National Survey of Children's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), 2022-2023
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of National Survey of Children's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Mental health is an important component of overall health. Mental health disorders among children can impact the way children learn and handle their emotions. Issues that can be diagnosed during childhood and adolescence include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and others. Early diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions among children is vital to ensuring they don’t have problems at home, in school or forming friendships.
Childhood mental health disorders can be treated and managed. Treatment works best when parents and doctors work closely with teachers, coaches, therapists and anyone involved in the child’s life.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of mental health treatment is higher among girls than boys.
The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends universal, targeted, group and/or individual school-based cognitive behavioral therapy programs to help prevent and reduce anxiety and depression among school-aged youth. Trained school staff (mental health professionals, nurses or teachers) or external mental health professionals (psychologists or social workers) can facilitate programs to help students develop problem-solving strategies, regulate their emotions and establish healthy coping behaviors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of resource locators to help parents find the right mental health services for their children, and an action guide of strategies to support mental health in schools.
Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to treating mental health conditions among children, including:
- Increasing the proportion of children and adolescents who get appropriate treatment for anxiety or depression.
- Increasing the proportion of children and adolescents who get preventive mental health care in school.
- Increasing the proportion of adolescents with depression who get treatment.
- Increasing the proportion of children and adolescents with ADHD who get appropriate treatment.
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We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
