Nevada ranks last for mental health services for youths

Abstract

Children and teenagers who need mental health care have less access to services in Nevada than in other states, advocates say, the Nevada Appeal reported Dec. 9. Mental Health America ranked Nevada 51st among states and the District of Columbia in seven categories of youths at risk, the Las Vegas Sun reported. Factors in the group's September review included psychological and emotional disturbances, substance abuse disorders, major depressive episodes and children for whom private insurance doesn't cover treatment. The newspaper reported that youth mental health services in and around Las Vegas were hurt by the closure in August of Montevista Hospital, the area's largest inpatient mental health provider for youth and adolescents. But there have been some improvements, including a new inpatient behavioral health facility at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas that can accommodate as many as 20 young people. Initially designed to serve children from ages 13–17, the youth pavilion now accommodates children as young as 11 and might lower the age limit further, said Dr. David Gennis, program clinical director. Most young people who use the facility have shown suicidal views or behavioral challenges, Gennis said. Connecting families to geographically accessible outpatient therapy services can be difficult, he said. A new inpatient‐to‐outpatient transition program for adolescents was expected to give some the opportunity to continue working with their Southern Hills therapists two to three days a week.