Texas Children’s Chief of Psychology Dr. Karin Price delivered key testimony this month to the Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety about the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on children and adolescents across the state.
Price appeared before the committee in Austin on October 4 alongside witnesses from the Meadows Institute, UT Health and the Health and Human Services Commission. Working with Texas Children’s own Government Relations team, she coordinated and prepared testimony that highlighted the increase in patients presenting with behavioral health needs throughout the pandemic.
Hospital data shows that from 2019 through this year, the number of patients coming to Texas Children’s Emergency Center locations for behavioral health crises grew from less than 100 patients monthly to more than 400 per month.
Price noted in her testimony to the committee that this growth in patient behavioral health crises is particularly concerning given the severe gaps in Texas in mental health care along the entire of continuum care in terms of access, capacity and workforce availability – from early intervention and detection, through crisis intervention and stabilization.
Price also reinforced Texas Children’s goal to keep children out of crisis, living safely at home with their families and not returning to our Emergency Centers for treatment.
“We at Texas Children’s know children and adolescents are incredibly resilient, and as we all continue to experience major disruptions in our everyday lives and routines, we will continue our work now to help mitigate the lasting effects of COVID-19 on our children,” she said.
