Mental Health and Substance Use Considerations Among Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This brief identifies factors contributing to poor mental health and substance use outcomes among children during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on groups of children who are particularly at risk and barriers to accessing mental health care. While data has been limited for this population, the brief draws upon the National Survey of Children’s Health, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and surveys conducted during the pandemic.