Akron Children's to open pediatric behavior health clinic in Mansfield
Construction has begun on a pediatric behavioral health clinic in Mansfield for children ages 5 to 18, and it's slated to open early next year.
The facility will be operated by Akron Children's Hospital and is being built next to the health system's existing Mansfield health center, 1027 Trimble Rd., the company said in a news release.
Funding for expansion of Akron Children’s behavioral health services is being made possible through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, the company explained, and $400,000 for the Mansfield construction was included in the Ohio State Capital Budget.
'Acute shortage' of youth behavioral professionals
The 10,000-square-foot center will be the company's third location designed to expand child and adolescent behavioral health services throughout the region.
There is an "acute shortage" of youth behavioral health professionals in the region, according to Dr. Steven Jewell, chair of the division of pediatric psychiatry and psychology at Akron Children's.
"We plan to staff the facility with child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and mental health therapists, enhancing access to those highly specialized services locally," Jewell said. "Our goal in bringing this facility to Richland County is not to compete with locally available resources, but instead to collaborate with existing providers in the county, plugging gaps in available services."
The health system news release cited a 2021 U.S. Surgeon General's advisory which stated that "even before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to one in five children ages 3 to 17 having a reported mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral health disorder."
Since 2007, there have been significant increases in adolescent visits to emergency departments for depression and anxiety, as well as increase in youth suicide, the release said. Of the estimated 8 million children with a treatable mental health disorder, about half do not receive adequate treatment.
Outpatient, partial hospitalization programs
The Mansfield location will feature Akron Children’s intensive outpatient program and its partial hospitalization program.
The outpatient program is an intensive, multi-disciplinary group therapy program for 12- to 18-year-old patients, offered three evenings a week for three to four weeks.
The hospitalization program helps teens develop healthy coping skills and stabilize their mental health status. The program includes family therapy, goal setting and an opportunity to keep up with schoolwork. Teens spend all day in the program and are home in time for dinner. They typically participate in the program for two weeks or more. It can be used as a "step down" program after discharge from Akron Children's 24-bed inpatient behavioral health unit or used as an intervention to prevent the need for hospitalization.
The hope, Jewell said, is to intervene early to prevent a behavioral health crisis and costly emergency department visits and hospitalization.
Psychiatric medicines can be prescribed
Providers at the Mansfield location will be able to prescribe and manage psychiatric medicines for conditions such as ADHD, depression and anxiety.
The location will also offer pediatric psychologists who can offer support to children living with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cystic fibrosis.
"We appreciate the support of government officials in bringing these services to their community," Jewell said. "Having specialized care like this close to home can make all the difference for families."
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Akron Children's to open pediatric behavior health clinic in Mansfield
