Rising BH needs drive states to expand therapy for children

A new brief from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) highlights a troubling trend: behavioral health needs among children and adolescents have been rising for more than a decade. In 2021, nearly one in three children covered by Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program experienced mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral challenges. Despite this, half of all children with a behavioral health diagnosis received no treatment, underscoring persistent barriers in early identification, referral and service availability.