BayCare Kids Behavioral Health Patient Meets with Members of Congress to Discuss Need for Improved Access to Mental Health Services

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Jun 18, 2021, 12:26 ET

TAMPA, Fla., June 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, 17-year-old Iker Dorta from the Tampa Bay area joined more than 50 other pediatric patients from across the nation in meeting with their members of Congress to speak out on behalf of children with significant health challenges. A special focus this year was pediatric mental health, a crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iker Dorta, 17, a BayCare Kids Behavioral Health patient, meets virtually with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor on May 24, 2021 as part of the Children’s Hospital Association’s annual Family Advocacy Week. Iker joined leaders from BayCare and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in meeting with members of Congress to have meaningful discussions about the need for improved access to mental health services.

Several years ago, Iker lost both his father and stepmother as a result of a horrific event. Afterwards, he moved in with his grandmother and aunt and began seeing a therapist to help him cope with the trauma he was experiencing. Iker was very close to his grandmother, and was devastated when she passed away in 2015. The hardship was made worse when Iker and his remaining family became homeless.

When Iker started high school, he joined a school-based youth coalition that advocates against drug use. He was proud to have a bigger purpose: helping kids who need good guidance and role modeling. While working with the coalition, a school counselor recognized that Iker also could benefit from intensive services and referred him to BayCare's Community Action Team (CAT), which provides wrap around services for kids at high risk for adverse outcomes like hospitalization or out-of-home placement.

During the virtual meetings, which were part of the Children's Hospital Association's Family Advocacy Week, Iker and his guardian, Sharon Schmidt, joined BayCare Behavioral Health Services Vice President Gail Ryder, BayCare Behavioral Health Director of Clinical Operations Tracey Kaly and leaders from St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in meeting with U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor, Darren Soto and Greg Steube. They will meet with Congressman Charlie Crist next week, and are hopeful to also meet with U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.

Together, they asked Congress to advance more impactful policies that improve access to mental health services for children and families in Tampa Bay and Florida.

"We're worried about the pandemic's long-term impact on mental health in children. We're already beginning to see a surge in post-traumatic stress disorder," said Ryder. "That's not to say that adults aren't also suffering, but many of our kids are just lost."

From April to October 2020, hospitals nationally saw a 24% increase in the proportion of mental health emergency department visits for kids ages 5 to 11, and a 31% increase in the 12- to 17-year-old age group, compared to 2019 according to the CDC. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is seeing an explosion in volume and acuity of mental health needs with increased inpatient admissions for serious suicide attempts.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
As Tampa's only dedicated children's hospital, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is committed to providing everything needed for the health and well-being of children. Part of the BayCare Health System, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital provides more acute medical and surgical pediatric care than all other hospitals in Tampa Bay. From the tiniest baby to the high school quarterback, patients are cared for by doctors who specialize in treating children, in surroundings designed exclusively for kids.

About BayCare
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and west central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System