The good news for children, rising out of an alarming report of a national and local mental health crisis, is that we can do something about it.

The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, released this week, describes a rise in childhood anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels that dominates its 2022 report on the overall health and welfare of children.

The percentage of children 3 to 17 troubled by anxiety or depression rose by 25.5% nationwide from 2016 to 2020, and by 17.5% in Missouri, data shows, as more than one child out of every ten were diagnosed with mental health concerns by a doctor or health care provider.

This does not account for the many more children whose childhood stress was not officially recorded among American households where, the report further stated, surveys showed a third of parents said their young children were acting fussier and more defiant, and more than a quarter said their kids appeared more anxious than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Click to download the full report

The mental health crisis has mounted “a pandemic atop of a pandemic,” wrote Lisa M. Hamilton, the President and Chief Executive Officer, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, in the report.

The troubling data of the 33rd edition of the Kids Count report, Hamilton said, couldn’t help but focus on mental health data “that reflects not only the turmoil of the past two-plus years but also issues that were making life harder for kids well before the pandemic.”

Within the full report, analyses update trends in the well-being of children by measuring key indicators affecting economics, education, health and their families and community. All of the indicators are impacted by mental health, Hamilton said.

Recipe for recovery

Families are taking notice. More parents are taking action to help their children. And, the report states, there are clear actions that policy makers can take to help families and their communities rise to greater health.

“The good news is that we see broad agreement on taking action,” Hamilton said.

Nearly three out of four parents surveyed earlier this year thought their child would benefit from mental health counseling. Congress has shown bi-partisan support for legislation on mental health and substance abuse. The Biden administration has proposed several youth-focused strategies to tackle mental health concerns. And governors in 33 states have named improving mental health services as a primary objective.

The Kids Count report identifies three targets for policy makers to continue this momentum.

• Prioritize kids’ basic needs. Children living in poverty are more likely to develop mental health conditions. Work to increase family stability fosters positive mental health and wellness.

• Ensure that children have access to the mental health they need. That means ensuring health insurance for all children, providing more social workers, psychologists and other mental health professionals in schools, and providing more federal resources to coordinate treatment.

• Bolster mental health care that accounts for young people’s different experiences and identities. Mental health support should meet all children’s needs regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

Missouri’s child health concerns

State-by-state data showed Missouri with concerning trends in several health-related indicators. There was a rise in full-term infants born with low birth weights. After several years of decline there was a slight increase in babies born to teen mothers. More than one in three Missouri teens are overweight or obese.

Also, Missouri is falling behind other states in ensuring universal health care access to children.

Trends that moved in a positive direction include a reduction in the number of children living in poverty, and the number of children living in households where no parents worked. Also, more children in Missouri attend pre-K programs, preparing them for academic success.

Overall, Missouri ranked 27th in the nation in child well-being.

By Joe Robertson/LINC Writer