Transforming Mental Healthcare | Cincinnati Children’s
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org
“One of the ways Cincinnati Children’s has really been a leader in mental health was through the establishment this College Hill campus,” said Tracy Glauser, MD, associate director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation. “We have inpatient facilities and we have outpatient facilities. This is a very unique campus that really addresses the needs that the kids have. But over the last 20 years, despite the fact that we’ve been a leader in mental health, we still face an uphill battle.”
“Tragically, about one out of 10 children is disabled because of their mental health disorder,” said Michael Sorter, MD, director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s.
“Suicide is the second leading cause of death in kids between the ages of 10 to 24,” said Glauser. “We are seeing more kids have mental health challenges, and crises than we have ever seen before.”
Sorter added, “Across our country, the majority do not receive the care they need. And so, this is really something that really extends to all cultures, all populations, and all regions.”
“In 2013, my wife and I adopted three daughters from Monterrey, Mexico,” said Mike, father of Melani. “Little did we know the journey we’re about to be on. We had no idea of the level of trauma our daughters had experienced and how that would manifest itself back out into our family and the community, even for themselves. Melani went through a significant amount of trauma So, we made a decision. She spent probably five, six weeks in acute crisis care until we can move forward to residential at Children’s. It’s really, really hard.”
Sorter said, “People can come in and really very desperate situations or very difficult challenges, but with the treatment and dedication and time and hard work by both the family and often times the provider, things can get so much better.”
“We work with a diverse group of patients who need love, care, and support,” said Mattie Dunn, Child Life specialist. “Building rapport with patients to help them trust us and know that we are here to support them because they meet a lot of people when they come into the hospital.”
Sorter added, “They come from every neighborhood, every school district, every type of background, every economic level. These are problems that affect everyone, every family.”
Linda’s son, Josh, has autism and also battles behavioral problems.
“It started when he was four because he had some motor delay,” said Linda. “Then I started noticing the social piece, being able to communicate. But as he got into that middle part of elementary school, a lot of the bullying took place. He kept more stuff inside and it was building up and building up and then he just popped. So, I just drove straight to Children’s and they took him in and they sent him over to College Hill. He needs somebody to understand that what was going on with him with was autism along with his communication and social skills.
Glauser said, “When we first launched the College Hill facility, the concepts of what kids needed and what families wanted was still in evolution. And the building did a wonderful job for the type of care we needed to deliver at that time. But over time, we’ve really realized the value and the importance of incorporating families more into that in patient experience.”
Dunn added, “When were are in our high census and the patients are doubled up in the room, the families are not allowed to stay, because there’s no bed for them to sleep in. So, that’s a big challenge for us.”
“So much of our treatment really involves not only working with the young person but working with the parents or other caregivers who may be involved, and their ability to have a space to be here and work with us on that,” Sorter said. “We think we take our treatment tremendously advanced for the future.”
Sorter added, “Philanthropy is really critical to what we do in many ways. We’ve been very fortunate to have great generosity from many groups here in the city especially the Convalescent Hospital Board. They’ve supported the development of psychiatry over many, many years.”
Mike said, “When I think about what College Hill has done for us, like we have confidence we have a team. There’s people that are listening to us, it’s dependable. It’s not just a crisis for the kid, it’s a crisis for the family as a whole. That’s why I would probably encourage people to donate.”
“So many times, we’re really challenged by deciding where we want to make investment, and where we want to kind of place our goodwill,” Sorter said. “One thing to think about is that the issues that affect children-mental health is probably the biggest one. I can’t really think of a better investment.”
To support fundraising efforts for the new facility, visit the College Hill Mental Health Campaign website at https://www.collegehillcampaign.org/.