Report Shows More W.Va. Kids Getting Mental Health Services

More West Virginia children are using mental health services than before the pandemic according to a new report from the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS). The agency released its biannual report on mental and behavioral health services for children Wednesday.  

Among the findings in the Quality and Outcomes Report: more West Virginia children are using mental health services and more of those diagnosed with serious emotional disorders were connected to services promptly. Enrollment in intensive home and community-based programs has nearly doubled, compared to residential treatment facilities. 

The data shows, for example, the need for services has gone up since the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency Department visits tied to mental health issues jumped from 8.3 percent at the end of 2022 to 11.4 percent in the first half of 2023. But residential treatment placements showed a much smaller increase – indicating effective home and community-based services, according to a DoHS press release.

“The department’s enhanced children’s mental health system has maintained a trajectory for growth and is expected to continue to help families thrive,” said Laura Hunt, DoHS Office of Quality Assurance for Children’s Programs Director, in the release.

For more information on resources for children and families with behavioral or mental health needs, visit the Kids Thrive website or call the Children’s Crisis and Referral Line at (844) 435-7498.