In this conversation with Nightline anchor Cynthia McFadden, Dr. Harold Koplewicz addresses some of the major barriers keeping families from accessing the good pediatric mental health care they need, as well as how parents can work with caregivers to help their children reach their potential. He illustrates these common problems and solutions with personal stories from his long career in child and adolescent psychiatry. Topics include:
- stigma that can delay seeking care for years
- pervasive misinformation that can lead families astray
- a system that leaves many children and families with apparently nowhere to turn
- an insurance climate that is hostile to folks who can benefit most from care.
The difficulty of ensuring access to mental health care for young people shouldn’t blind us to the struggles and triumphs of real families. We must act. And we can.