Mental Health Needs during COVID-19: Responses in Pediatric Health Care

Until recently, children have not been central in news of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the pandemic has certainly impacted them. Recent studies suggest that both parental and children's mental health has worsened since the onset of the pandemic. These changes are most pronounced in families facing more hardship, and children already at high risk for mental health concerns are even more vulnerable as a result of the pandemic. Children's hospitals have responded in varied ways to these concerns, providing telehealth mental health visits, offering webinars on pertinent topics, and adding supportive content on their websites. This article features specific programs of Children's Mercy with hospitals in both Kansas City, MO, and Overland Park, KS, as well as several other institutions, and outlines resources for nurses to share with families. Key Words: COVID-19, pandemic, infection control, mental health.