KSHB 41: Children's Mercy's Illuminate program seeks to address youth mental health in Kansas City region
By Dia Wall
The word illuminate means to make something more visible by shining a light on it.
It's also the name and purpose of a new mental health campaign and commitment at Children's Mercy Hospital.
I first heard about the new plan this summer. The financial investment is a bold one — $150 million.
The more I looked into the 14 programs set to begin in the next five years, the more I felt compelled to share a series of stories highlighting some of its components.
My why is simple: more families than you may know are battling youth mental health and struggling to get access to the help they need.
Illuminate plans to —
Facilitate early intervention
- Mental health integration in primary care;
- School-based programs;
- Care coordination (intake, triage and navigation);
- Behavioral therapy services.
Increase specialty services
- Depression and anxiety (DAY Clinic);
- Eating disorders;
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
- Autism;
- Rapid diagnosis.
Invest in research and innovation
- Precision dosing for mental health medication;
- Ensuring equity in care;
- Patient education;
- Safety plan app;
- Clinician education.
Expand inpatient hospital care
- Inpatient psychiatric campus;
- Acute mental health crisis center;
- Partial hospital program;
- Integrated inpatient unit.
See the series of news stories via KSHB 41