State funding for suicide prevention and mental health crises services has increased over the past five years but varies across the United States, according to a new study led by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health.

Emergency visits by children with suicide-related crises increased by 74% between 2016 and 2022, according to a new study from scientists at Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

The study represented more than 5 million emergency department (ED) visits for mental health concerns by U.S. children in the six-year period. About half of suicide-related ED visits — and half of all children’s mental health ED visits — occurred in hospitals with lower pediatric volume (under 10,000 annually). A child experiencing a mental health crisis may arrive at any emergency department, and many are not prepared to care for children with acute mental health needs, the study authors said. 

Emergency visits by children with suicide-related crises increased by 74%, according to a study representing over 5 million emergency department (ED) visits for mental health concerns by U.S. children from 2016 to 2022. About half of suicide-related ED visits – and half of all children’s mental health ED visits – occurred in hospitals with lower pediatric volume (under 10,000 annually). These EDs often are not prepared to care for children with acute mental health needs. The study was published in Annals of Emergency Medicine.