Newly Created Free Resource on Childhood Anxiety Helps Pediatric Primary Care Providers and Parents

New York, March 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The REACH Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the most effective, scientifically proven mental health care reaches all children and families, and The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, an international nonprofit dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of anxiety, depression and related disorders through the alignment of science, treatment and education, have partnered to create a free educational resource for pediatric primary care providers, parents, and caregivers to help with the identification and treatment of childhood anxiety disorders.

Anxiety is on the rise among children. The CDC estimates that 5.8 million children aged 3-17 years have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. In October 2022, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) finalized guidelines recommending that primary care providers (PCPs) screen all children aged 8 to 18 for anxiety disorders.

Anxiety in children and teens is common and can even be helpful. A child who is anxious about a test may be motivated to study for it. Anxiety can help children respond to threats of danger. An anxiety disorder, however, causes suffering, interferes with a child’s functioning, and can prevent a child from succeeding in school, making friends, and participating in social activities.

With early detection and interventions, anxiety disorders are treatable conditions. Parents play an important role in determining whether their child may need an assessment by a medical professional. This new FREE evidence-based resource, created by The REACH Institute and ADAA, can be an extremely useful tool to help primary care providers and parents during a diagnosis and treatment discussion. Child mental health experts from both REACH and ADAA collaborated on the brochure.

“We are thrilled to join ADAA in providing this free resource for parents,” said REACH CEO, Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli. “Children with anxiety often suffer in silence.  This resource will help parents determine when they need to get support from a primary care or mental health professional to help their anxious child.” 

“ADAA is delighted to be collaborating with REACH to provide this free evidence-based anxiety disorder tool for parents,” says ADAA Executive Director Susan Gurley. “It is critical, now more than ever, for parents to have access to free resources to help them and their primary care providers understand and find treatment for this common yet too often inadequately addressed child’s mental health issue.”

Parents who are concerned that anxiety may be impacting their child’s academics, social life, or home environment, can learn the key signs of anxiety disorders, and effective ways to respond to their child’s anxiety. A QR code that takes parents directly to a digital version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED), an anxiety screening questionnaire developed by Boris Birmaher, MD, is also on the brochure.

To download the brochure, visit www.thereachinstitute.org/reach-and-adaa-anxiety-in-children-and-teens/ and www.adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/children-anxiety-brochure-pediatric-care.

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The REACH Institute is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that the most effective, scientifically proven mental health care reaches all children and families. Led by national experts in child psychiatry, psychology, and pediatrics, REACH has been increasing the nation’s capacity to help families with mental health issues since 2006. Their programs train primary care providers, mental health clinicians, health care institutions, educators, and caregivers in the use of evidence-based therapies to better diagnose, treat and manage child and adult mental health issues. REACH’s flagship course, Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP), has trained nearly 6,000 pediatric PCPs to date. To learn more about The REACH Institute and their training programs, visit: www.thereachinstitute.org.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) – Founded in 1979, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is an international nonprofit membership organization (with more than 1,500 international mental health professional members) and a leader in education, training and research for anxiety, depression and related disorders. More than 7 million people visit the ADAA website annually to find current treatment and research information and to access free resources and support. Visit www.adaa.org to learn more.