Children with mental health conditions often don't get care

(JAMA PEDIATRICS)

Many kids with mental health conditions aren't getting care they might need, according to a new analysis. Researchers used data from a survey of more than 50,000 U.S. parents with children under 18 to come up with national estimates. They estimate that more than 16 percent of children have a mental health condition, but nearly half of didn't receive needed treatment or counseling. That problem was particularly prevalent in certain parts of the country, such as North Carolina, where an estimated 72 percent of children with treatable mental health conditions didn't receive needed care. The researchers say there's a need for policy fixes to boost treatment access.