Delaware must bridge the gap in kids' mental health care | Opinion (original) (raw)

May 20, 2026, 3:29 a.m. ET

A friend of a friend here in Lewes has a 10-year-old son with anxiety. He struggles to sleep, is missing school and is constantly on edge. His mother has searched for a psychiatrist, without any luck.

As a child psychiatrist, I wish I could help every child in need. Every day, I must tell families that I cannot take on new patients. These children need help, but there are not enough hours in the day for me to see them all. There are simply not enough pediatric specialists to meet the demands for mental health treatment.

This is more than a local problem; we are facing a national children’s mental health crisis. Rates of depression, anxiety and suicidality in children have steadily risen over the last 20 years — and worsened during the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 1 in 5 children with mental health concerns receive care from a specialized behavioral health provider. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, estimates that nearly 40,000 additional child and adolescent psychiatrists are needed.

Delaware's mental health crisis is spiraling

In Delaware, the shortage is more severe than the national average, particularly in rural areas. While the prospect of a new medical school in Delaware is promising, child psychiatry training lasts a decade from the start of medical school, and there are no guarantees that these potential new graduates will pursue child psychiatry. Workforce shortages will likely persist for the foreseeable future.

So, what do I tell this acquaintance to help her son? I typically start by asking families if they have spoken with their primary care provider, or PCP. PCPs see children more than 10 times in the first few years of life and continue to build a trusting relationship as children grow. Many kids feel more comfortable talking with their PCP than with a new stranger, and receiving care in a primary care office helps to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health treatment. PCPs diagnose most mental health conditions in children and are often a child’s sole provider of mental health services.

To help PCPs care for children with mental health conditions, Child Psychiatry Access Programs exist in all 50 states. The Delaware Child Psychiatry Access Program, or DCPAP, offers real-time consultations and resource support for PCPs who are caring for young people with mental health conditions, at no cost.

My acquaintance’s pediatrician can call DCPAP between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to get guidance from a child psychiatrist. The behavioral health coordinator will arm the PCP with a list of referrals to therapists who accept the patient’s insurance. After the call, the pediatrician can continue to ask questions to help this child and others. In addition, training sessions on high-yield mental health topics, led by DCPAP child psychiatrists, are available to any professional working with children in Delaware, regardless of discipline. These lectures are published on a YouTube channel for convenient viewing.

Programs like DCPAP are transforming access to care, earning the trust and appreciation of both families and PCPs. From my own experience, among all the roles I hold professionally, my time with DCPAP has the highest impact on the families I serve. DCPAP has already made a meaningful difference in the mental health of many young people in Delaware, and the program has the potential to expand its reach. During Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s shine a spotlight on this extraordinary resource — and the hope it brings to our communities.

Colleen Leitner, MD, is a consulting child and adolescent psychiatrist for the Delaware Child Psychiatry Access Program. If you are a pediatric primary care provider in Delaware and would like to learn more about DCPAP, visit www.dethrives.com/DCPAP .