The CDC estimates 1 out of 5 children experience a mental illness in a given year. However, only half of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, California has a mental health worker shortage that is projected to worsen unless meaningful action is taken to address the problem.
But now, a UnitedHealth Group grant is helping University of California San Diego plant the seeds that may expand the state's mental health workforce with a focus on inclusivity and diversity.
Through the four-year, $4 million grant, announced in 2020, UC San Diego School of Medicine launched the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Inclusive Excellence program, an innovative approach to building a more diverse child and adolescent psychiatry workforce.
Dr. Yusra Benhalim, Senior National Medical Director, Behavioral Health for UnitedHealth Group, discusses this important program.
