Written by Michelle Hughes and originally published on NC Child.

Content Warning: Loss of a parent, suicide, suicidal ideation

Parents and policy-makers alike are struggling to support our children’s mental health. Citing staggering data about the rise in emergency department visits for children and youth experiencing mental health issues, as well as rising rates of suicide and self-harm, clinicians are sounding the alarm. Recently the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a “National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.” These trends are not