Reports lays out key findings on Utah’s early childhood mental health system

A recent Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute study outlines key findings regarding early childhood mental health in Utah. Based on a range of estimates from national studies, the issue has significant material implications for Utah’s children.

According to data compiled in the study, 10-20% of Utah’s 458,000 children between the ages of 0‒8 could experience mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral challenges. A 2019 study shows Utah is among a group of states that has the highest prevalence of mental health disorders in youth age 6‒17, and is also among a group of states that has the highest prevalence of youth with untreated mental health needs.

 

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Downstream, the average percent of adults with four-plus Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE Score) by county from 2013‒2018 was higher than the state average in six counties – Tooele (22.4%), Beaver (21.5%) Morgan (20.6%), Carbon (20.2%), Weber (18.0%) and Duchesne (17.2%).

The percent of adults with four-plus ACEs was highest for American Indian or Alaska Natives (30.9%) followed by individuals who identify as two or more races (24.4%) and Black or African American individuals (22.2%). White individuals (14.7%) and Asian individuals (9.8%) had the lowest ACE scores.

According to a 2012 study, Poverty can be a major barrier to child development that increases the risk of children falling behind in school, experiencing social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, and health concerns. A look at the percent of Children ages 0-17 living at or below 100% of the federal poverty level reveals that 15 Utah counties have rates above the state average in 2018.

Small area data from 2014-2018 measuring the percentage of children in poverty show that three areas – Rosa Park (37.6%), Glendale (37.3%), and South Salt Lake (31.8%) – have percentages that are close  to or more than double the national rate of child poverty.

National cost estimates of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among youth are $247 billion per year in mental health and health services, lost productivity, and crime.

In its study, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute also compiled data measuring the potential Return on Investment (ROI) of effective early childhood mental health programs.

As with other human service programs, reads the study, the ROI for early childhood mental health programs can be thought of as “the cost savings and/or taxpayer gains realized by a program’s intervention,”100 divided by the cost of the intervention.

An example listed by the authors is the finding that effective early childhood programs, specifically mental health programs, not only improve a child’s mental health, but can lower physical health care costs over the child’s lifetime as well:

“The potential reduction in costs is notable since national cost estimates of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among youth reach $247 billion per year in mental health and health services, lost productivity, and crime.”

The study goes on to list a significant amount of research that supports a positive ROI associated with high-quality early childhood care and interventions.