128. What Appalachian Ohio Kids Need
On episode 128, Dan talks with Randy Leite and Patrick Caniglia from the Appalachian Children Coalition about the behavioral health workforce and mental health challenges facing children in Appalachian Ohio.
TIMESTAMPS
2:30: Stereotypes and misconceptions about Appalachia
10:00 Behavioral health outcomes in Appalachia
16:45 Workforce issues, continued
23:00 Politics undermining LGBTQ behavioral health and beyond
26:54 Politics and Ohio’s healthcare workforce
Patrick reports that about half of adolescents meet diagnostic criteria for mental illness, but less than half those kids are receiving treatment. Randy adds that when you look across the country, per capita, there’s about 1 behavioral health professional for every 390 people. In Ohio, it’s 1 for every 700. In Appalachian Ohio, it’s about 1 for every 2500.
In reflecting on the general lack of resources, Randy mentions that of the 6 children’s hospitals in Ohio, none located in Appalachia.
According to Randy and Patrick, three foundational challenges impact care for kids in Appalachia: lack of behavioral health workforce, lack of access to strong data, and lack of technology. For example, ten percent of Appalachian children don’t have broadband access, and many other children have broadband but lack the knowledge or equipment to use it.
Medicaid reimbursement, student loan assistance, and addressing stigma are all critical to fixing the workforce problems. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services formed a statewide task force looking at workforce issues and developed recommendations.
Dan brings up the anti-trans bills going through the Ohio Statehouse, such as HB 6,, and notes that these bills undermine care for LGBTQ+ children in Appalachia.
Learn more about ACC on their website.
NAME CHECKS/RELATED EPISODES
Dan mentions Elizabeth Catte’s book What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia.
Hosted and produced by Dan Skinner. Copywriting and production support by Angela Lin. Engineering support by Mike Foley. Prognosis Ohio is a member of the WCBE Podcast Experience and the Health Podcast Network. Prognosis Ohio is a production of Prognosis Ohio, LLC.