
Why community care is better than in-hospital treatment for children’s mental health
July 22, 2024There are many reasons for ensuring that children receive needed mental health care in their communities. The physical environments of hospital emergency rooms, including their busyness and lack of privacy, can be challenging at any time, but even more so when a child is experiencing a mental health problem. When young people are hospitalized, they are also frequently asked to repeat their histories — which often include painful and traumatic experiences — to multiple care providers.
As well, many young people feel labelled and stigmatized after being hospitalized for their mental health needs. Given the discrimination experienced by countless Indigenous individuals in Canadian hospitals, this setting may be particularly difficult for children from these communities. Lastly, at a societal level, hospital care is costly and can consume a disproportionate share of funding for children’s mental health.
For more information, see Vol. 16, No. 3 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.