Washington ranks 43rd for youth mental health access in our country, and it can take six months or more to see a therapist. The global pandemic only further exhausted a system that was already strained.

In this pilot episode of the "Mindful Headlines" podcast, KING 5 anchor Jessica Janner Castro has a conversation with Dr. Neeru Bakshi about the youth mental health crisis happening in Washington state and across the country. Bakshi is the medical director at the Eating Recovery Center of Washington and an expert in the field of adolescent psychiatry. She also does work with the University of Washington and is a parent herself.

Read the article about this story on king5.com.

Eating Recovery Center of Washington

Pathlight Mood & Anxiety

Information for parents from the American Academy of Pediatrics 

The American Medical Association

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)

"Psychology Today" magazine and online resource hub

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information on adolescent and school health

Washington State Department of Health resources for teens and young adults

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Washington State Teenline: A confidential 24-hour crisis intervention service for teens: 1-800-562-1240

National Youth Crisis Hotline: A 24-hour crisis line for any crisis from pregnancy to drugs to depression: 1-800-448-4663