Pediatric
Needs
Arizona faces a critical state of child and young adult mental health, exacerbated by a severe shortage of mental health providers and inadequately equipped primary care providers (PCPs) to manage mental health concerns.
#49
Out of 50 states, AZ ranks 49th in the nation for Youth Mental Health.6
Only 176
Arizona has only 176 child and adolescent psychiatrists. Approximately 11 CAPs per 100,000 children.3
More than 1 in 4
More than 1 in 4 U.S. children ages 3-17 have a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem.4
#2
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in individuals ages 10-14 in the U.S.4
More than 50%
More than half of Arizona adolescents who needed behavioral health care reported difficulty in getting care.2,3
53%
Fifty-three percent of Arizona counties have no child and adolescent psychiatrist.1
As you can imagine, untreated childhood mental health problems can have significant long-term consequences, contributing to the development of chronic mental health problems in adulthood – early intervention and treatment can significantly improve outcomes and prevent escalation of problems.
In response to this urgent need, the Arizona Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line (APAL) serves as a lifeline for PCPs and their young patients. APAL addresses the shortage of mental health providers by providing comprehensive training and resources to PCPs, empowering them to better manage mental health concerns in their primary care settings. Additionally, APAL offers timely access to on-call child and adolescent psychiatrists and licensed behavioral health professionals through its dedicated phone line, operating 40 hours a week.
By bridging the gap between primary care and specialized mental health services, APAL strives to mitigate the profound impact of untreated mental health issues on Arizona's youth, fostering resilience and well-being in the face of significant societal challenges.
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (n.d.). Workforce maps by state. AACAP Workforce Maps
- Arizona Department of Health Services. (2024). Arizona adolescent mental health report: Trends in mental health, 2024. Arizona Adolescent Mental Health Report
- Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. (2026). Children’s system annual report. AHCCCS Children’s System Annual Report
- Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. (2026). 2023–2024 National Survey of Children’s Health data query: Children with mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems, age 3–17 years. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health. National Survey of Children’s Health data query
- Garnett, M. F., & Zehner, A. M. (2026). Changes in suicide rates in the United States from 2023 to 2024. NCHS Data Brief, 572, 1–12. National Center for Health Statistics. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/252473 CDC
- Mental Health America. (2025). Youth ranking. In The state of mental health in America 2025. Mental Health America Youth Ranking