JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — More help is on the way for children on the First Coast suffering from severe mental health issues.
The recently signed state budget has allocated a $5 million appropriation for a new 20-bed inpatient pediatric behavioral health unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
“For decades, Baptist Health has made it our mission to address this critical need for Northeast Florida and beyond,” said Michael A. Mayo, DHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health, which includes Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “While it is a significant investment, it is necessary to address health and well-being from a holistic perspective.”
Baptist Health says the need for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health services in Northeast Florida has spiked in recent years. Currently, there are only 65 pediatric inpatient behavioral health beds between Daytona Beach and Fernandina Beach.
Baptist says due to low Medicaid reimbursement, many providers do not have the resources to invest in inpatient pediatric behavioral health beds.
“Northeast Florida has long been challenged to match limited mental health resources for children and adolescents with the overwhelming demand for this specialized type of care," said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. "As a primary provider of inpatient pediatric mental health services, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has worked with state legislators and community organizations to find creative solutions to help fill gaps in services where we can support struggling families. We are so grateful for this $5 million investment toward our $8.9 million new inpatient behavioral health unit, which will impact the lives of families for generations to come.”
There are free resources you can take advantage of right now from home. Kids and teens can call the free mental health hotline to talk to someone at any time at 904-202-7900 or text LIFE to 741741 and a counselor will text you back.
It can be tough to tell if troubling behavior in a child or teen is just part of growing up or should be discussed with a health professional. Learn more about warning signs here.