‘Kids Are Suffering Greatly:’ Area Medical Professionals Say COVID-19 Sparked a Behavioral Health Crisis for Local Youth
During the 13 years he has worked as a pediatrician at Colorado Mountain Medical, Dr. Leslie Fishman has never seen anything like the current mental health crisis affecting local kids. Both Dr. Casey Wolfington and Fishman said behavioral health services for the community are poised for the next big improvement with the Northstar Center proposal in Edwards.
Vail Health has submitted a development application for a residential treatment facility in that midvalley community. “This community has really been stepping up its game,” Fishman said. “That facility will really make things so much better.”
Eagle Valley Behavioral Health is approaching its two-year anniversary and Wolfington believes the local COVID-19 mental health challenges would have cut much deeper if the organization hadn’t been ready to address them. Fishman agreed, but noted the current youth mental health emergency cries out for more attention and assistance.
