by Racquel Stephen

Two years ago, several leading pediatric health organizations declared a national state of emergency around children’s mental health. Since then, institutions, organizations and advocacy groups have been working to provide care and resources to those in need.

But Larry Marx, CEO of Rochester advocacy group The Children’s Agenda, said even with the increase in resources, the demand for services “is like a tidal wave that is crashing on the shore of availability.”

Marx said although it’s becoming more socially acceptable to speak about mental health, the issue is treatment and accessibility.

“There is so much need,” he said, “that once somebody identifies themselves as requiring care, and goes to the trouble of seeking care, it becomes a question of if the providers are available, if the care is affordable, and then also how effective the care is.”

Locally, Marx said the number of youths in need of services is “profound and startling.”

Monroe County’s 2022 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that roughly 36% of Rochester City School District students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row. The report also said that almost 9% of city school students attempted suicide within that past year.

“We really need to work a lot harder on the prevention side of the continuum, and supportive and protective factors that enable kids to handle the normal ups and downs of life,” Marx said.

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