LAYTON — If you believe preschoolers and elementary-aged children aren’t experiencing mental health struggles, including suicidal thoughts, think again.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Clinic, and many county health departments in Utah have long recognized this phenomenon. For example, the CDC reports that based on pre-pandemic data, 35% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 were in a treatment program or seeing a counselor. They therefore encouraged health professionals to address mental health issues for all people in the community, including young children.
Davis County Health Department staff, Davis Behavioral Health, and other community partners are working together to do just that. They host mental health screenings twice a year. One for elementary school students and one for secondary school students. Parents come with their children to meet with a therapist and find out how to get the help they need.
“If we can help one family who is having a hard time, it’s worth the time,” said Teresa Smith, community outreach planner for the Davis County Health Department. She also hosts mental health screening events. “Since 2012, access to behavioral health resources has been a major issue for families. Helping that person or family is what we need to do.”
On October 29, Davis County will conduct mental health screenings specifically for children from preschool through sixth grade. Organizers make a habit of listening to the needs of their communities. When parents asked if their preschoolers could be tested, they added this age group to the list of people to be tested.
Davis County Youth Mental Health Examination
- who:Children from preschool to 6th grade
- where: Davis Behavioral Health, 934 S. Main in Layton.
- when: Tuesday, October 29th, 4-7 p.m.
- things to do: Visit dbhutah.org/screening Register a time to meet a therapist
- Detailed informationEverything is also available in Spanish.
After completing an online screening questionnaire by Oct. 23, parents will choose a 30-minute time slot for their child to meet with a therapist. Parents will also be in the same room. In the past, some parents have questioned whether their child is at the correct developmental stage. We also found that although the sessions were not focused on parents, adults could learn about mental health issues and how to deal with their own struggles.
“We know that when children have mental health problems, parents are usually stressed,” Smith says. “We try to answer their questions, but this event also has a variety of community resources available to help them get what they need.”
The CDC, National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic, and others report that elementary school-aged children experience mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It points out that there are. Suicide rates are also increasing in this population, with the CDC reporting that suicide is now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 14.
What caused these changes? No one is sure. But psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists and counselors across the country warn that the answer is to assume that mental health problems in young children are not the real problem. As researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Suicide Prevention Research Center warn, children understand that suicide can lead to death, but they don’t necessarily understand the ultimate consequences of death. It doesn’t mean that it is. In other words, they see suicide as an option to deal with their suffering, without understanding that there is no recovery from suicide.
That’s why Davis County Health Department staff strongly encourage families to come in for testing, even if they’re not 100% sure what’s going on with their child. Our staff from different regions will help you get the information you need.
“Mental health is important at every stage of life,” Smith said. “We can help you find the tools you can use.”
The key points in this article were generated with the help of an extensive language model and reviewed by our editorial team. The articles themselves are only written by humans.
