The Emergency Department Is Not the System: Youth Mental Health and the Need for a Continuum of Care

The dramatic rise in pediatric mental health visits to emergency departments that started in the 1990s continues, reflecting an ongoing youth mental health crisis. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive care continuum with accessible outpatient services capable of identifying and supporting the mental health needs of children regardless of acuity, payor, and geographic setting. A fully realized child mental health continuum of care meets children where they are; adequately funds services from the outpatient clinic to the inpatient unit; delivers evidence-based treatments targeted to reduce mental health symptoms; and supports the development of a skilled behavioral health workforce.