Sen. Brown visits Valley to hear input on legislation supporting youth mental health

A roundtable discussion Friday at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Boardman campus, called by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Cleveland, D-Ohio, focused on mental health — and how new legislation can close the gaps in services for young Ohioans.

“Everyone knows the toll this pandemic is taking on the mental health of our children. The isolation, the fear, the disruption to kids’ routines, and in too many cases, the death of a caregiver or a loved one — it all builds up,” Brown is quoted in a Friday news release.

“I’m working with my colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to hold hearings focused on mental health and develop bipartisan legislation to address the gaps and challenges in getting our children mental health services. Conversations like the one I had today at Akron Children’s help to inform that work.”

A U.S. Surgeon General report noted worsening mental health for children and young adults in the years before the pandemic. In 2019, 1 in 3 high school students and half of female students “reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” — an increase of 40% over the prior 10 years, according to Brown’s office.

“We need to do nothing more than read the day’s headlines to see that our children and teens are suffering and our country needs to invest more in pediatric mental health care,” Chris Gessner, president and CEO of Akron Children’s Hospital, is quoted in the release.

“We look forward to showing Sen. Brown the first of our expanded regional behavioral health centers and having a conversation about how we can work together to help young people with anxiety, depression and other concerns, making pediatric mental health care convenient and accessible for all families.”

Twenty-two people died by suicide in Mahoning County in January, two of whom were young people and all of whom were male, said Duane Piccirilli, executive director of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board.

He said he thinks the region needs to establish more suicide prevention programs in schools. He noted Youngstown’s surging gun violence is also exacting its own toll.

“Almost every weekend there’s a shooting. That doesn’t just impact the person who is killed — there are witnesses and children,” Piccirilli said. “We’ve gotta be proactive.”