children's mental health

Today on Stateside, the priest in charge of processing cases of sexual abuse by clergy in the Detroit diocese responds to state Attorney General Dana Nessel’s call for the Catholic church to stop investigating itself. Plus, the legal gray area around growing – and selling – hemp and its products, including CBD oil.    

Michigan's mental health care system isn't getting children the  help they need. 

The causes are varied  –  from a shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists to the social stigma around getting treated for mental illness  – but many providers, parents, and advocates say we're reaching a crisis point. 

Now, some providers are trying to collaborate on solutions. 

Michigan, like most of the country, is in desperate need of more child and adolescent psychiatrists.

A study released in February found that one in seven children in Michigan – more than 100,000 children in total – have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or ADHD, which are the three most common psychiatric disorders in people under the age of 18. 

The state had a total of just 239 psychiatrists trained to treat children and adolescents in 2017, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists. That works out to just 11 psychiatrists for every 100,000 children across the state.

Today on Stateside, we hear from two Catholics who have been pushing for changes in their dioceses in response to the allegations of sexual abuse by priests. Plus, Afrofuturism was spotlighted for an international audience in last year’s wildly successful film Black Panther. But the philosophy and art of Afrofuturism have had a home in Detroit for decades.

Where do you go, to whom do you turn if your child needs mental health care? Child psychiatrists and parents agree: the options in Michigan are too few and far between.

This issue has led to a class action lawsuit against the state's Department of Health and Human Services. It was filed in 2018 against then-Governor Snyder, and it alleges the state has failed to meet its legal obligation under Medicaid to provide adequate services for children who have behavioral and mental health problems.

Today on Stateside, a new plan to boost Detroit says restoring the city's African-American middle class is key to a successful revitalization effort. Plus, we hear about the Anishinaabe Theatre Exchange, a program that draws on indigenous storytelling traditions to talk about current social issues.

Parents of children with severe autism in Michigan have limited options when it comes to finding long-term care for their kids.