There is a national mental health desert driven by a shortage of mental health care professionals and deficient access to proper treatment. This shortage is exacerbated amongst adolescents and children . The corollary is the manifestation of significant social problems such as disruptions in education, drug abuse, socio-economic challenges, and criminal activities.
The proposed project will increase access to mental health care for children using a digital platform to conduct brief mental health screenings, connect children to services, and increase communication between frontline community workers (nurses, teachers, etc.), parents, and mental health professionals. A team of child mental health experts at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology will work with an identified technology company to develop the technology platform and
Deficiency