NYN Media: Opinion: Our Mental Health System Fails Too Many Kids
In a new op-ed for NYN Media, our President & CEO Melanie Hartzog writes about how our mental health system is broken – and how it can be fixed.
“There are devoted, compassionate people at every level of the system who are ready for change, and concrete things we can do together starting in 2024 to help our most vulnerable,” Hartzog writes.
Using the example of Alex, a child in care with The Foundling who has cycled through systems and facilities after experiencing severe mental health needs, she stresses that the system is broken. There are too many barriers to reaching appropriate mental health care before it escalates into crisis. She shares solutions, such as increasing communication among government and nonprofit agencies, reducing barriers caused by health insurance, investing in additional community services, and more.
