Chad Cartier Joins Discussion on Youth Mental Healthcare and Cultural Diversity in MN
Aris Clinic is dedicated to educating people on the importance of mental healthcare for kids and teens. Last month, Chad Cartier, our director for psychotherapy, lent his professional expertise and shared our clinic’s services as a guest on the podcast, “Policy Connecting Communities.”
The show is hosted by Anab Gulaid, a Minnesota-based public health/community development leader and entrepreneur. Chad joined an esteemed group of experts to discuss the topic, “A Look at the State of Mental Health.” It included exploring disparity gaps in the culturally diverse communities of Washington County, MN.
Among the guest contributors were Brandon Jones, executive director of Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health and Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Minnesota. Chad is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and board certified as a clinical mental health counselor (NCC & CCMHC). He’s been in clinical practice for nearly 15 years, working primarily with children, teens and their families.
Here are insights from the nearly hour-long discussion.
Trends in Children’s Mental and Emotional Health
The guests drew on their deep professional experience and a host of community health assessments. Some panelists referenced the Minnesota Student Survey, which is taken every three years by over 100,000 kids throughout the state. Overall, the group agreed how the pandemic has increased mental health issues, especially with young people.
“COVID certainly exacerbated a lot of those issues that we were seeing pre-COVID,” Chad offered. “A lot of school refusal, kids who are having a hard time moving out of the house, making connections back in school, getting caught up, re-establishing routines, etcetera.”
Other trends noted:
- Long-Term Mental Health Among Girls. In 2016, 27% of girls were looking at long-term mental health issues. In 2022, that went up to 37%.
- Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Attempts. Girls are experiencing higher rates. The same is true for Native American youth and youth who identified with multiple races.
- Social Inaction. Kids are less interested in afterschool activities or social clubs, or they’re too busy with jobs or homework to engage socially.
- Bullying and Cyberbullying. This is especially true for youth of color. It can be around racism or other forms of discrimination.
Chad reported on the number of young people Aris Clinic is seeing with “remarkable aggressive behavior” at home and with others.
“Families and kids are having a hard time getting services that would otherwise potentially be a good fit. But the aggressive behavior is an exclusionary factor. We [the broader community] need the resources to manage that,” Chad said. “We find a lot of parents who desperately want help and want to turn the corner and develop some better skills.”
He also mentioned the significant increase in the Autism Spectrum diagnosis over the last maybe 10 to 20 years. “We see a ton of kids who need some kind of unique special support with staff who understand Autism Spectrum.”
Access to Culturally Appropriate Resources
Panelists discussed the challenge of finding culturally responsive resources for the diverse people who live in Washington County. Treating immigrants or refugees must include an understanding of generational differences in values, religion and priorities between parents and their kids.
Also, in many minority cultures or marginalized communities, mental health is still stigmatized. It can be difficult for people to accept or even mention mental health or substance use issues. And, some parents fear that if their kids disclose certain information, they’ll be removed from the home.
Chad reported how Aris Clinic is approaching the issue.
“The question [we ask ourselves is], how do we meet families that have different cultural expectations, not just with gender, but with all kinds of things, so that we can work within that culture to get them the support they need within their family and within their culture.”
Is Mental Health Treatable?
The panelists shared variations of “yes.” But they all spoke to where improvement is needed.
- Individualized Treatment. Getting more individualized therapy and/or medication management is essential.
- Early Intervention. Genetics, trauma, COVID, culture and circumstances all play, or have played, a role in mental health. Focus on early identification and intervention to prevent interactions with police and visits to the emergency room.
- Access. Sue Abderholden talked about the shortage of mental healthcare workers and services. Having interpreters available is also critical.
- Healthy Habits. Normalize that healthy behaviors (rather than focusing on the negative) lead to healthy emotional and mental well-being.
How Aris Clinic is Helping Youth and Families
Podcast Host Anab Gulaid asked Chad to explain Aris Clinic and its services within Washington County and the surrounding communities.
Gulaid inquired, “I’ve noticed that you’re located in Woodbury, and your specialties includes children struggling with trauma, depression, and anxiety. You offer a day treatment program for ages 8 to 18, as well as outpatient services for all children. What data informs your area of specialty [especially around cultural diversity]?”
Chad responded that Aric Clinic can have up to 60 kids in its intensive outpatient day treatment program. A lot of those kids and families are in crisis; each is unique.
“It’s getting to know each person in each family that comes in. Having cultural knowledge and cultural humility is important. But you have to learn what might be true about the person sitting right in front of you, and go from there … kids have unique needs. Some could really respond well to a holistic program environment [like Aris Clinic].
What’s Ahead for Mental Healthcare
Abderholden gave her opinion on moving mental healthcare forward for all ages. “I like to say that our mental health system isn’t broken. It was never built. So we need to keep focusing on what works and really trying to build that out.” She mentioned:
- School-linked resources
- Outpatient therapy, psychiatry, medication management
- Day treatment
- Intensive outpatient
- Residential treatment
- Crisis response units (in-person visits or by phone)
She added, “I come into every legislative session believing that we can actually make things better. I’ve really seen the attitudes toward mental illnesses change over the last 20 years.”
Chad stressed that Aris Clinic will continue its dedication to kids, teens and their families across cultures.
“I believe we can make progress,” he commented. “We don’t pretend to assume anything about anybody we’re working with … It’s about getting to know each person in each family that comes in.”
We’re Here to Help
If you or someone you know is seeking professional help for child or teen mental health, contact us. Aris Clinic is dedicated to empowering children and families facing emotional and behavioral health challenges.
Aris Clinic thanks Anab Gulaid for her essential reporting on mental healthcare and including Chad Cartier in the discussion.
