This weekend The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC.com) ran a front page, top-of-the-fold, story of how Georgia’s mental health system is failing kids. This story highlighted how Children Healthcare of Atlanta is building a $1.5 billion 14-story state-of-the-art hospital that will not have a single psychiatry bed. Coincidentally, the NY Times 18-page opinion section also focused on America’s mental health crisis.
Related article from AJC (Dec 2021): Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta amasses immense wealth as some Georgia families struggle to access quality pediatric care
My take: Mental health issues are clearly NOT prioritized in many health care systems/providers nor by payers.
Related blog posts:
- “Implementing psychological therapies for gastrointestinal disorders in pediatrics” | gutsandgrowth
- What’s Missing In Pediatric IBD Care
- “We Have Ruined Childhood” and Possible Link to Depression, Anxiety and Suicide | gutsandgrowth
- From ImproveCareNow: Resources for Mental Health
- Integrating Mental Health into Pediatric IBD Care
- Depression Screening for Pediatric Patients with IBD
- Suicide Rate Up 33% in Last 20 Years
- No Exaggeration: Too Many Children Are Dying in the U.S.
- What to Do for Friends and Family Members Who Are Depressed
gutsandgrowth 
Directly related to reimbursement? If you can’t get paid, you won’t build it?
I think reimbursement is a big factor. I would argue that CHOA (like many pediatric hospitals) has a tremendous capability for fundraising that could offset losses and that it has an inherent mission as a non-profit to direct some of its resources to benefit the community.