Analysis Shows Dramatic Hike In Children’s Use Of Mental Health Services

A new report based on an analysis of about 20 million claims finds that children’s use of mental health services jumped significantly from 2016-2021, and also highlights disparities in the care provided to kids enrolled in Medicaid compared to those with private coverage. For example, use of emergency services by kids with Medicaid increased over the five-year span while office visits decreased, but the opposite occurred for children with commercial plans. The analysis was conducted by Clarify Health’s research arm...