Impact on Child Psychiatry

Shireen F Cama; Brigitta E Miyamoto; Sandra M DeJong

doi:10.1016/j.psc.2021.11.009

Impact on Child Psychiatry

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2022 Mar;45(1):133-146. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2021.11.009. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Authors

Shireen F Cama¹, Brigitta E Miyamoto¹, Sandra M DeJong²

Affiliations

¹ Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge Street, Macht 317B, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
² Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge Street, Macht 317B, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Electronic address: sdejong@cha.harvard.edu.

Abstract

The American pediatric mental health system is in crisis; the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated existing gaps. All youth were affected by the pandemic, an impact medicated by mental illness, the closing of schools, reduced access to mental health services, loss and bereavement, and financial and emotional stress on families. The pandemic's fallout is likely to be felt for years to come as today's youth move through successive developmental stages. Improvements in health care systems for youth, innovations in how care is delivered, and ongoing community support for recovery and resilience are needed moving forward.

Keywords: Adolescent; COVID-19; Child; Mental health; Pandemic; Parent; Psychiatry.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
COVID-19*
Child
Child Psychiatry*
Humans
Mental Health
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2