US Child Mental Health Care Need, Unmet Needs, and Difficulty Accessing Services
ResearchPosted on rand.org Feb 25, 2026Published in: JAMA Pediatrics (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.6162
Diagnosed mental health conditions among US children increased 35% from 2016 to 2023. Furthermore, almost 40% of children aged 12 to 17 years with a major depressive episode did not receive treatment in the past year. Reported barriers include financial costs, limited clinician availability, and logistical challenges. However, household-level perspectives on mental health treatment for children are underreported. We used nationally representative data to quantify household-level receipt of and difficulty accessing mental health treatment for children.
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Document Details
- Copyright: American Medical Association
- Availability: Non-RAND
- Year: 2026
- Pages: 3
- Document Number: EP-71170
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