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Children’s Mental Health: A National Emergency

Children and Youth Are in Crisis

We have never seen a crisis in mental and behavioral healthcare like the one children and youth now face. At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, our response is to expand services to deliver the right care in the right place and at the right time. This ambitious approach requires significant investment from CHOP and from our dedicated donors.

We're Making Progress Through Advocacy, Partnerships and New Programs

In the dozen years since Tami Benton, MD, assumed leadership of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, CHOP has added behavioral and mental health staff across the institution, created new clinical programs and developed partnerships to treat more children in the hospital, in the CHOP Care Network and in the community.

Woman in pink shirt with CH logo on blue wall

Mental Health: It Takes a Village

A Q&A with Tami Benton, MD, who has led the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences since 2010.

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Treating the Whole Child in One Place

Putting behavioral health services in primary care offices makes it easier for families to get their children the treatment they need.

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Helping Kids Cope with Bladder Problems

Learn how CHOP Urology’s dedicated pediatric psychologist can help kids cope with emotional issues caused by bladder problems. Learn more

We Need Your Voice to Help Resolve This Crisis in Children’s Mental Healthcare

Support through advocacy

Often federal resources to address mental health do not make their way to children or their pediatric mental and behavioral health providers. The  Helping Kids Cope Act  would take important steps to begin addressing the children’s mental health crisis through three new grant programs, specifically designed to bridge this gap.

Check the  cosponsor list  to see if your representative is supporting the bill (enter your zip code  here  to identify who represents you).  If they are on the list, please thank them!  If not, ask them to cosponsor the Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412).

From Big Emotions to 'Coming into Her Own'

CHOP has given Effie and her family the tools to help her manage disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, anxiety and ADHD.

Meet Effie

Therapy, Meds Help Molly Manage Anxiety and ADHD

The pandemic exacerbated Molly's difficulties. Care from CHOP has allowed her to shine and reach her potential.

Meet Molly

Therapy at CHOP Gives Rohan Confidence

Trouble with executive function was holding Rohan back. Now he sees a bright future that includes college and beyond.

Meet Rohan

We're Committed to Addressing Barriers to Access

Our current locations and staff are not large enough to serve all the children and youth who need behavioral and mental healthcare, so CHOP is making significant commitments to open new facilities and add staff. These exciting developments will allow us to provide additional access to the appropriate level of care — whether that is routine or intensive outpatient appointments, inpatient treatment, or crisis care.

We Need Your Support to Spearhead the Next Era of Behavioral Healthcare

Support through philanthropy

Accomplishing that will require significant investments as we build capacity and infrastructure in the form of space, staffing and research. CHOP is a national leader in specialized behavioral healthcare, and in addition to our own enterprise-level investments, we depend on generous support from donors like you to bridge significant funding gaps.

To learn more about getting involved in this historic effort, please contact the Donor Support line at 267-426-5332 or giving@chop.edu.

Bringing Services to Schools and the Community

While expanding and building physical space for behavioral and mental healthcare is important, to meet the tremendous need, we also need to partner with our local communities to identify the needs and provide services — in the community — that have a positive impact.

Support in City Schools

A new three-year program will bring research-backed behavioral health interventions to more Philadelphia schools.

Community Support for Suicide Prevention

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in children and young adults ages 10 to 24. This center wants to change that.

Addressing Trauma in West Philadelphia

One of the key elements of the Healthier Together Initiative, CHOP's commitment to tackling the social determinants of health, is to help kids overcome trauma and grow resilience.

 

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