Reprinted with permission from the March 2011 Pennsylvania Child and Adolescent Service System Program Newsletter
by Christopher Petersen, M.D. and Santoshkumar Mathapati, M.D.
Is my child at risk?
In a startling revelation, a recent study showed only a third of teens with depression received mental health services and more than half received no treatment at all. The latest results comparing depression treatment in teens showed antidepressant use decreased, psychotherapy use decreased, and combination treatment also decreased. These decreasing trends in service utilization explain increasing suicide rates and suffering in our children. To minimize depression’s future impact, more vigorous efforts are required to increase awareness in identifying mood and anxiety disorders and to improve access and availability of services.