A study involving close to 12,000 children unveiled a drastic issue in high-risk populations in the United States.
Published in JAMA, the study by the University of New Hampshire determined that over 50 percent of children residing in high-risk populations are not receiving the needed mental health services.
In the study, researchers showed that young Black children were among the least likely to receive mental health services. They focused on common conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and dissociation.
“These findings show a large percentage of children who need treatment are not getting it,” said co-author David Finkelhor in a news release.
“Better ways are needed to identify these at-risk youth populations and help them get intervention resources that we know improves their physical and mental health.”
The study was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice.
