New, centralized location for children’s mental health coming to metro-Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – An alarming number of young people are struggling with their mental health.

Nearly one in four youths ages 3 to 17 have one or more emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions, according to a recent report by Georgia State University.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is hoping to help by opening a new center dedicated to the mental health needs of kids.

“I think families are desperate. They want to help their children and they don’t know how to help their children,” said Donna Hyland, CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “Mental health is different than the physical condition.”

The new facility will offer families a centralized location for mental health care. The doctor heading up this new program says the current system doesn’t work – it’s too spread out.

“It makes it very hard for kids that need a comprehensive approach to treatment, to getting all the aspects of care that are really going to get them better,” said Dr. John Constantino, Chief of Behavioral and Mental Health at Children’s.

Children’s, which is in the process of building a brand new 460-bed hospital down the street also in North Druid Hills, has been planning this children’s mental health center for about three years now. They’ve already hired more than 135 behavioral and mental health professionals, with plans to hire an additional 50 psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and social workers in the coming months.

“The people that we’ve brought in over the last two years, we’ve learned so much from them in terms of better health for kids, but we have to find better ways to do that,” said Hyland.

The property where the new center will be located sits along the I-85 northbound access road. It was donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta by the Zalik Foundation. It’s slated to open in 2023.

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