RACINE COUNTY An initiative to improve mental health care services for children is zeroing in on solutions for Racine County families trying to get help for their children.

The solutions are the next step after the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, with the help of several local and national experts, identified some core problems in addressing Racine-area kids mental health issues.

Those problems include poor communication between providers, high insurance costs and service shortages, said Ashley Staeck, senior community program associate at the Johnson Foundation.

The group also pinpointed various barriers children face to get services, such as financial disincentives for doctors to take them on as patients, transportation issues and even their parents in denial about the problems.

The list of challenges serves as a framework as the foundation researches solutions and comes up with an action plan, which it expects to release this summer.

Our main mission is to be a catalyst for solutions, Staeck said. We do that by bringing people together.

The foundation, 33 E. 4 Mile Road, started tackling childrens mental health about two years ago after the topic came up again and again in its other initiatives, including black mortality rates and school readiness, Staeck said.

Officials found that problems start from the very beginning.

Our community in general falls short in terms of prevention and early identification programs, Staeck said. Not a lot is being done in our community and schools to help prevent mental health issues.

It doesnt get better from there. The group found little coordination between therapists, doctors and schools. Children also face a shortage of professionals, particularly psychiatrists, who could help them.

The rest is here:

Foundation gathering ideas to improve mental health care for countys children