Treating Adolescent Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care Considering Pandemic Mental Health Fallout

Child health experts have been studying pediatric mental illness for decades. Research quantifying high rates of pediatric mental illness along with a shortage of specialty providers demonstrated a need for change. Pediatric advocacy organizations encouraged pediatric primary care providers to offer a basic level of treatment for mild to moderate mental health symptoms in the primary care setting to help offset the pediatric mental health provider shortage and allow specialists to focus on patients with more severe symptoms. Fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic increased rates of pediatric mental illness, especially adolescent depression and anxiety. The time has come for pediatric primary care providers to embrace mental wellness in their practices, implement research-based interventions, break down barriers to treatment, and do their part to fight the National Children’s Mental Health Emergency ignited by the COVID-19 pandemic.