by PRP Group, on 02/20/2023
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - A Utah-based non-profit wants to help parents be the first line of defense in what it’s calling a growing epidemic of mental health crises in children.
Officials with the Cook Center for Human Connection report that one in seven kids are depressed or anxious. It reports that suicidal ideation, or thoughts of suicide, increased 50 percent since the pandemic.
With worsening access to mental health care, the Cook Center launched a free online resource and donated $100 thousand to 25 schools to fund something called a “calm room.”
Anne Brown from the Cook Center said, “It’s created a safe haven for kids. It’s helped kids that are feeling dysregulated be able to come in and be able to regulate their feelings. And in some cases, you can even create this beautiful, comfortable space that some kids don’t have in their homes.”