"More than 10,000 children in Linn County have potential mental health issues....
"Instead of joining Boy Scouts, they join gangs," he said of some youths who have endured trauma classified as Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. "So it's important that we think of ways we, as a community, can uplift them."
"Panelists named people from school counselors to parents as agents for these interventions.
"Schulte brought up one high hurdle in addressing mental illness in youth: access to services. Because government funding is allocated to departments – which she called "silos" – instead of following individuals, who may have overlapping needs as a result of mental illness, Schulte said gaps in care can often result. For example, funds for treatment do not address what happens when someone leaves a facility and needs housing or access to employment....
"Schulte advocated for "a more holistic approach" to providing those services, a call Hinzman echoed.
"We can do better and we know we can do better to break through the silos and the bureaucratic walls," he said."
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