BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

This indicator reports the number of inpatient hospitalizations in Orange County among 0-17 year olds related to serious mental health and substance use conditions. The data include rates of inpatient hospitalization for broad behavioral health conditions and rates of inpatient hospitalization per 10,000 children broken down by behavioral health diagnosis and race and ethnicity.

The presence of behavioral health disorders can have a profound impact on individuals and families, as well as systems within the community, such as schools or the juvenile justice system. By tracking hospitalization rates related to behavioral health disorders, health officials can more readily identify trends and monitor the needs of the community while directing needed resources (e.g., training, education, counseling, outreach, substance abuse treatment, etc.) to areas in need. For example, an increase in hospitalization rates due to heroin use may signal a serious trend in a local community and may lead to resource allocation to combat the increase in use of this harmful drug.

• The overall hospitalization rate for serious mental illness and substance abuse conditions for children increased by 46.7%, from a low of 16.7 per 10,000 children in 2008 to 24.5 in 2014.

• The hospitalization rate for serious mental illness increased 84.1%, from a low of 11.3 in 2008 to 20.8 per 10,000 children in 2014.

• Hospitalizations for substance-related diagnoses accounted for 3% of all such admissions for children in 2014 and has decreased 61% over the past decade to 0.7 per 10,000 population in 2014.

• White youth accounted for 46% of all mental illness and substance abuse-related hospitalizations and Hispanic youth accounted for 39%.

• Major Depression and Mood Disorders accounted for over six in 10 (64%) of all such hospitalizations, followed by Bipolar (13%), Schizophrenia/Psychoses (6%) and Schizoaffective Disorders (2%).

• In 2014, 11.4% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years had at least one major depressive episode in both California and the United States. Overall, both rates were a higher percentage than previous years between 2005 to 2013 (ranging from 8.8 to 10.7%).

• While males accounted for the majority (71%) of substance-related hospitalizations, females accounted for 66% of mental illness hospitalizations (and 65% of all admissions).

2005 to 2014

• Total

•

• Other

• Substance Abuse

Source: Orange County Health Care Agency, Health Policy Research and Planning

Note: Other includes mental disorders such as other unspecified mood disorders, conduct disorders and disorders related to sleep, eating, elimination and pain.

Mental Health Hospitalization Rates per 10,000 Children, by Race/Ethnicity

2014

• White

• Other

Source: Orange County Health Care Agency, Health Policy and Research

Notes: Rates for black children are not included due to unstable and unreliable estimates for small populations. Other includes mental disorders such as other unspecified mood disorders, conduct disorders and disorders related to sleep, eating, elimination and pain.

Rate

Note: *The rates for these cities are unreliable because of the small population of children residing in them. (CDP) - census designated place

Source: Orange County Health Care Agency, Health Policy and Research