>> CYNTHIA McFADDEN IS BACK WITH
MORE.
CYNTHIA, GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THATS RIGHT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOSPITALS
AND PSYCHIATRISTS WHO DEAL
SPECIFICALLY WITH KIDS WITH
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, THE
NUMBER IS TRAGICALLY LOW.
ONE HOSPITAL IN COLUMBUS MADE A
BOLD MOVE.
LAST MARCH, JUST DAYS BEFORE THE
GOVERNOR SHUT THE STATE OF OHIO
DOWN, THEY OPENED A NEW FACILITY
THEY THINK COULD MAKE A BIG
DIFFERENCE.
♪
>> Reporter: THERES SOMETHING
REMARKABLE GOING ON IN COLUMBUS,
OHIO.
THIS MAN IS A BIG PART OF IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: HE IS THE LEAD
NURSE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> Reporter: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PAVILION, PART OF NATIONWIDE
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL.
AROUND HERE, THEY THINK THEY
JUST MIGHT BE A MODEL FOR THE
NATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CAMERAS
HAVE BEEN PERMITTED INSIDE, IN
PART, TO HELP BREAK THE STIGMA.
SO AS HARD AS THIS PROBLEM JOB
IS, YOU LOVE IT?
>> OH, OF COURSE.
OF COURSE.
>> Reporter: THE HOSPITAL HAS
IN-PATIENT PSYCHIATRIC BEDS,
STAFF FOR 56 KIDS, WITH KPAS TOS
EXPAND TO 92.
>> WE TRY TO MAKE IT LIKE HOME.
>> Reporter: MASTERS AT DRAWING
KIDS OUT.
>> WE HAVE THIS TO USE FOR
ICE-BREAKER CONVERSATIONS.
>> Reporter: LETS DO IT.
I LOVE GAMES.
WHERE MY THUMB LANDS, I HAVE TO
ANSWER.
>> EXACTLY THAT, BOOM.
>> Reporter: OKAY.
WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOUVE
EVER RECEIVED.
OH, MY SON.
>> BEAUTIFUL.
>> Reporter: THERAPY HERE IS
INTENSE.
TO PROTECT THE KIDSS PRIVACY,
WE ARENT SHOWING THOSE
SESSIONS.
THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT UNIT.
>> CORRECT.
>> Reporter: BUT WHAT WE CAN
SHOW IS HOW THE BUILDING WAS
DESIGNED, WITH INPUT FROM STAFF
TO ENCOURAGE THE HARD WORK.
BUT ITS STILL A HOSPITAL.
THE DOORS ON THE UNITS ARE
LOCKED TO PROTECT THEM.
>> I WOULD SAY THE MOST
IMPORTANT THEME WE SEE ARE KIDS
THAT ARE JUST GOING THROUGH,
LIKE, MAYBE A SUICIDAL IDEATION.
>> Reporter: THAT MEANS THEYRE
THINKING ABOUT IT.
>> THEYRE THINKING ABOUT IT.
THEY HAVENT YET ACTED ON IT.
>> Reporter: SUICIDE IS THE
SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
FOR KIDS 10 TO 19.
OVER 50% OF MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS START BY THE AGE OF
14.
MANY OF THOSE KIDS WILL NEVER
GET ANY HELP.
>> THATS CORRECT.
WE HAVE OUR MAIN EATING AREA.
>> Reporter: DR. DAVID AXLETON
IS MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT THIS
UNIQUE FACILITY, WHERE THERE IS
EVEN A FRESH AIR WHO PORCH.
>> I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS, TO BE
HONEST.
BUT HAVING THIS PORCH WHERE WE
CAN ACTUALLY HAVE KIDS REALLY
COME OUT AND EXPERIENCE FRESH
AIR, EVEN THOUGH THEYRE ON THE
SECURE, SAFE UNIT.
THERES NO WAY YOUR GETRE GETTI
THROUGH IT.
>> Reporter: THE NEED FOR MORE
HOSPITALS LIKE THIS IS ACUTE.
OF THE NATIONS 6090 HOSPITALS,
10% OFFER PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES
FOR KIDS.
AN NBC NEWS ANALYSIS SHOWS WHEN
IT COMES TO MANYIN-PATIENT CARE,
IS ONLY 7%.
MANY PSYCHIATRIC UNITS HAVE BEEN
CLOSED, AS INSURANCE DOESNT
REIMBURSE THE COST OF THE ACTUAL
SERVICES.
SO THE FINANCES OF THIS PLACE
ARE SORT OF A MYSTERY TO ME.
HOW ARE YOU PAYING FOR IT?
>> Reporter: WE HAVE TREMENDOUS
LEADERS THAT RECOGNIZE THAT WE
MAKE BIG MARGINS ON SOME THINGS,
BUT THEN WE NEED TO INVEST IN
OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS WHERE
THERE ISNT MARGINS, LIKE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
>> Reporter: CALL IT ROBIN HOOD
FUNDING, SUPPLEMENTED BY BIG,
LOCAL DONATIONS.
CAN OTHER COMMUNITIES DO IT?
>> YOU NEED LEADERS WHO HAVE
WISDOM TO SAY, TAKE FROM HERE
AND PUT IN HERE.
SO THE WHOLE CHILD CAN BE
TREATED, AND FAMILIES CAN BE
SUPPORTED.
>> HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> BYE, MOM.
>> Reporter: LIKE BRIDGET ROHBEC
AND HER FAMILY, A SENIOR IN HIGH
SCHOOL, SHES ON THE WAY TO
COLLEGE IN THE FALL.
WE TALK WITH HER AND HER MOTHER
MANDY.
TAKE ME BACK IN TIME TO WHEN YOU
FIRST THOUGHT MAYBE SOMETHING
WAS WRONG.
>> DEFINITELY SEVENTH GRADE WAS
WHEN RED FLAGS STARTED GOING UP.
>> Reporter: WHAT WERE THE RED
FLAGSOME.
>> I STARTED SELF-HARMING.
>> Reporter: SECRETLY CUTTING
HERSELF ON THE UPPER THIGH.
>> NOT FROM A PLACE OF ME TRYING
TO END MY LIFE FROM IT, JUST
THAT THIS MAKES ME FEEL GOOD,
LIKE IM IN CONTROL.
>> Reporter: IS THAT WHAT IT IS,
CONTROL?
>> 100%.
>> Reporter: DID SHE KNOW?
>> SHE FOUND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY.
>> Reporter: MANDY IS AN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHER WITH
TWO OLDER DAUGHTERS.
>> I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT SITTING
OUTSIDE HER BEDROOM THINKING,
SHE SHOULDNT BE THIS UPSET.
I DIDNT KNOW WHO TO CALL.
DO I CALL MY PEDIATRICIAN?
>> Reporter: ITS A QUESTION
PARENTS COMMONLY FACE, WHERE TO
TURN.
ESPECIALLY AS THE NUMBER OF
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT
PSYCHIATRISTS IS AT A BREAKING
POINT.
8,300 FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
THAT MEANS ONE IN FIVE KIDS LIVE
IN A COUNTY WITH NO CHILD
PSYCHIATRIST AT ALL.
FOR BRIDGET, THINGS GOT WORSE
AND WORSE.
FINALLY, IN DESPERATION THREE
YEARS AGO, SHE ASKED TO BE TAKEN
TO THE HOSPITAL.
>> MY MOM WAS LIKE, LETS WAIT
UNTIL THE MORNING.
I CANT WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING.
>> Reporter: BOTH SHE AND HER
PARENTS CREDIT NATIONWIDE
CHILDRENS WITH HELPING HER
HEAL.
>> THEN I CAME TO CHILDRENS.
THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.
I DIDNT THINK ID GET SO
EMOTIONAL ALREADY.
>> Reporter: I MEAN, YOURE
DEALING WITH BIG THINGS.
>> YEAH.
I AM BY FAR THE BEST IVE EVER
BEEN.
ITS NOT EVEN COMPARABLE.
>> Reporter: EVER?
>> EVER.
EVEN WHEN I WAS A CHILD, BY FAR.
OUT OF ALL MY MEMORIES, IVE
NEVER BEEN HAPPIER THAN I AM
RIGHT NOW.
>> ITS NIGHT AND DAY.
>> Reporter: BACK ON 8A --
>> I WOULD SAY THE AVERAGE
LENGTH OF STAY IS ABOUT FIVE TO
SEVEN DAYS.
>> Reporter: ITS 3:30. AFTER MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS ON
AFTER MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS ON
THE JOB, WE NEVER SAW KUAZI SIT
DOWN, NOT ONCE.
IM EXHAUSTED, JUST TRYING TO
KEEP UP WITH YOU.
I WAS READING THE NOTES CHILDREN
WRITE TO STAFF.
SEVERAL ARE TO YOU.
>> IT MAKES YOUR HEART WARM, SO
THEY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO.
>> Reporter: HELL BE BACK
TOMORROW TO DO IT ALL AGAIN.
>> PEOPLE HELPING.
THE HOSPITAL IS ALSO REACHING
OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEYVE LAUNCHED A PROGRAM WHERE
PEDIATRICIANS IN CENTRAL OHIO
CAN CALL A PSYCHIATRIST ON THEIR
STAFF FOR HELP WITH INDIVIDUAL
YOUNG PATIENTS.
THEYRE ALSO WORKING WITH THE
STATE OF OHIO TO HELP PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO A MOBILE RESPONSE
AND STABILIZATION SERVICE TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS IN CRISIS
WHERE THEY ARE.
NOW, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT
GIVES FAMILIES ALTERNATIVES TO
CALLING THE POLICE FOR HELP.
THEYRE MASTERS AT DE-ESCALATION
AND HELPING PEOPLE STABILIZE.
>> SO MANY PARENTS WHO ARE GOING
TO BE HELPED BY THAT STORY.
>> FOR SURE.
>> THANK YOU, CYNTHIA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE SHOULD MENTION HERE, FOR
MORE ON KIDS AND MENTAL HEALTH,
CARSON IS HOSTING A MIND MATTERS
SPECIAL.
HE IS GOING TO DO IT ON OUR
STREAMING CHANNEL TODAY ALL DAY,
WITH INSIGHT FROM TEENS,
EXPERTS, ON HOW TO SPOT THOSE
WARNING SIGNS, AND ALSO WAYS TO
COPE FOR EVERY AGE.