Children’s Hospital New Orleans provides care and resources to help patients like Sophia cope with mental health challenges

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This story is brought to you by Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Sophia Juhaz wouldn’t be alive today without the care she received from Children’s Hospital New Orleans’ Behavioral Health Center.

Juhaz, now 18, was admitted to the center twice in 2021 after attempting suicide. She had long struggled with anxiety and depression, which took a growing toll. But, she wanted to get help and voluntarily checked into the center both times, with her family’s full support.

The 51-bed Behavioral Health Center at Children’s Hospital is the only psychiatric program in the Gulf Coast region that is exclusively dedicated to the mental healthcare needs of children and adolescents in crisis, and is one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric programs in the country. Inpatient and outpatient services are available for treatment of a wide range of psychiatric and behavioral disorders.

Data shows this care is needed now more than ever. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that in 2021, 57% of teenage girls reported persistent sadness or hopelessness and 30% said they have seriously considered suicide. There have also been increases in the past decade among teenage boys who report those same feelings. Experts noted that teens’ mental health struggles appeared to increase around

2012 and have not slowed since.

Juhaz said that during her treatment, she and other patients took part in regular meals, daily check-ins to establish and review progress on goals, conversations with social workers, and various therapies and treatments. Art and music therapy helped them process emotions.

The program also ensured she would receive care after she was discharged. During therapy, the staff explained how patients can connect their emotions to real-life experiences and handle them in safe and appropriate ways. Juhaz had arranged to continue treatment with a therapist and a psychiatrist after she was discharged, but the Behavioral Health Center makes those connections if needed.

Elizabeth Kemmerly, a licensed clinical social worker and outpatient therapist at the Behavioral Health Center, said a key part of treatment is helping patients learn skills based around coping, calming and communication. These can include mindfulness, breathing exercises, reframing thought, identifying emotions and explaining them to others.

“We want people to know they are not alone, that other people go through struggles, and that mental health is health,” Kemmerly said. “Our treatment includes family sessions led by a therapist to learn more about what brought the child to the center and teach the family the appropriate skills and techniques to help that child.”

Kemmerly said potential warning signs of a mental health problem may include changes in a person’s baseline behavior, such as isolation, sleep or appetite changes, or urges to harm oneself or others. She is especially proud of Children’s Hospital New Orleans’ community outreach work so clinicians can address problems sooner.

“We’re passionate about being in schools and other places where children might need access to people to talk through their thoughts and get help processing them,” she said. “We are working to destigmatize these problems so people, including our youth, don’t feel shame in talking about mental health.”

Today, Juhaz is doing well and continuing outpatient care. She has launched a teen wellness council program in Jefferson Parish Public Schools for students to discuss overall mental health on their campuses and ways to address concerns. She also has worked with local school leaders to increase the number of social workers on area campuses.

“I’m beyond grateful for everything that Children’s Hospital has done for me and other patients,” she said. “There’s still a stigma in society around mental health and it’s so important to normalize the fact that depression and anxiety is real. If anybody is reading this and looking for a sign to stay alive, this is your sign. It does get better.”

The Behavioral Health Center staff is well-trained on treating children and adolescents with a variety of conditions, including ADHD, autism, mood disturbances, trauma and grief and more. Services include psychiatric consultations, neuropsychology, virtual care, emergency services and more. The center also oversees numerous school-based programs and a partnership with the juvenile justice intervention center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit chnola.org