EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Mental health struggles among teens and young children have become a growing issue across the country.
Experts in El Paso said they are seeing more youth looking for help and resources.
Jessica Morales the director of the crisis emergency services for Emergence Health Network said they are seeing more teens looking for help both in emergency rooms and their facilities.
“I think over the course of the last year we’ve seen an increase whether it’s as a walk-in basis, ER or on school settings as well,” said Morales.
Jacquelyne Cisneros with EHN said they have also seen an increase since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think after COVID it really made a shift with our mental health symptoms you know isolation the increase in anxiety, depressive symptoms,” said Cisneros.
Specialists said they have seen this especially when the patient doesn’t know what they are experiencing.
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“Sometimes people don’t know what their symptoms are and what they are feeling so maybe they are experiencing a panic attack but their like ‘What is this feeling’ and they go to the ER,” said Cisneros.
However, even when teens seek help at ER’s mental health experts get called in to help.
“They end up in the ER, and the ER then makes an MCOT request that we receive,” said Morales.
The mobile crisis outreach team coordinates with ER doctors and nurses to treat teens after checking the patients are not suffering medical emergencies.
Cisneros said seeking help at ERs is recommended when there’s a combination of a medical emergency and a crisis.
Patients can also use the crisis center which is open 24/7.
“They don’t need to have insurance for us to see them I think that would worry about,” said Morales.
Anyone can access the EHN Crisis Hotline at any time. EHN’s Crisis Specialists are trained to assist in verbal de-escalation and link individuals who need help to local mental health resources in the community, such as Emergence Health Network’s Crisis Intake Unit and Extended Observation Unit.
- EHN Crisis Hotline: 915-779-1800 or 988
- Toll-Free Crisis Hotline: 1-877-562-6467
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 or 988
El Paso residents who are experiencing emotional distress or mental health crisis can receive immediate, face-to-face counseling and crisis intervention at the EHN Extended Observation Unit. This Crisis Unit is open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
The center is located at 1601 Yandell Drive.
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