Confronting The Youth Mental Health Crisis in Orange County: Keynote by D. Heather Huszti

Orange County’s family foundation leaders gathered for a powerful and timely discussion on the mental health crisis facing children and youth in communities across our nation and the world. Hosted by the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF), the program brought together top medical, nonprofit, and education leaders to share data, insights, and collaborative solutions aimed at early intervention and long-term impact.

This special event was designed for members of OCCF’s Family Foundation Alliance—a network of family foundation philanthropists who meet quarterly to deepen their understanding of the region’s most pressing issues and explore opportunities to drive meaningful change.

Scope of the Crisis: One in Five Children

Dr. Huszti began with a staggering national statistic: 1 in 5 children experience a diagnosable mental health disorder in childhood, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, or other mental health conditions.

From an Orange County perspective: She asked the audience to picture Angels Baseball Stadium filled with children. Then triple that image. “That’s how many children in Orange County– approximately 150,000– are struggling with a mental health issue. Of those, only one-third receive treatment. That leaves two-thirds without support,” she said.

Crisis Escalation: Emergency Room Surges Post-COVID

Dr. Huszti highlighted a sharp increase in crisis-level visits to CHOC’s emergency department. “These are not mild cases; they involve suicidal ideation, psychosis, or risk of harm to others,” she said. Since the pandemic, mental health emergency visits have spiked:

• Fifty percent increase two years into COVID-19.
• Current levels remain 35% higher than pre-pandemic.
• Annually, CHOC sees 2,500 to 2,700 crisis-level cases in the ER alone.

National Trends: Mental Health in Decline Since 2009

Using CDC data from high schoolers nationwide, Dr. Huszti showed a consistent upward trajectory in depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts since 2009. In 2024 alone:

• Twenty percent of high schoolers seriously considered suicide
• Sixteen percent made a plan
• Nine percent made an attempt

She emphasized that this isn’t a post-pandemic trend—it’s a longstanding crisis that’s only deepened over time.

Why Youth Mental Health Matters

Untreated youth mental health issues have serious downstream effects, including:

• Higher risk of dropping out of school, homelessness, underemployment, and early death
• Adults with chronic mental illness die, on average, 10 years earlier than their peers
• Societal cost: over $100 billion (about $310 per person in the US/year due to lost productivity)

Dr. Hustzi underscored that adult mental illness is often a pediatric disease:

• Fifty percent of mental illness shows symptoms by age 14
• Seventy-five percent by age 24
• Average delay in diagnosis: 10 years

This makes early screening and intervention essential.

Local Mortality: Suicide as Leading Cause of Death

Dr. Huszti then presented the sobering data that in Orange County, suicide is the:

• #1 cause of death for youth ages 10–14
• #2 cause for ages 15–19
• #3 overall for youth ages 1–19

These are entirely preventable deaths, she noted, which should mobilize collective action.

The Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

She explained how trauma in childhood—often referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) —exacerbates mental and physical health outcomes. Examples include abuse, neglect, domestic violence, parental incarceration, or addiction. In California:

• Thirty-eight percent of adults had one or more ACE
• Sixteen percent had four or more ACEs

The more ACEs, the higher the risk for adult conditions like asthma, arthritis, obesity, depression, alcoholism, and suicide. But she stressed: “It’s not destiny—it’s data.”
Early support builds resilience, and that’s where prevention matters.

CHOC’s Mental Health Care Continuum

Dr. Huszti described CHOC’s system of care:

• Inpatient Mental Health Unit: Treated over 5,000 children since 2018 with 20% being under age 12
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): Life-changing for families
  • A mother whose daughter had OCD and hand-washing rituals said, “I hadn’t seen her smile in a year—she smiled after her first day here.”
• Outpatient Therapy & Primary Care Integration: Services now embedded in pediatric clinics

CHOC now screens all youth aged 12+ annually for suicide risk. Four percent screen positive with many previously undiagnosed and their parents unaware of any problem.

Access Barriers: Funding and Parity Issues

Mental health reimbursement remains a major barrier with reimbursements 25% lower than the lowest medical rates. With low reimbursement, providers cannot afford to stay in practice, and compounding the problem is mental health parity laws are often unenforced.

She compared the system to cardiac care: “If a child had a heart attack and we said, ‘We’ll have a bed for you in three days,’ people would be outraged. But that’s what happens in mental health all the time.”

Prevention in Schools: WellSpaces as a Scalable Model

Dr. Huszti shared CHOC’s investment in WellSpaces—calming, supportive rooms located in middle and high schools that are designed for connection, de-escalation, and mental reset. There are currently 57 sites open across Orange County, with plans to expand to elementary schools. Many students report they eat lunch there instead of hiding in bathrooms due to bullying or isolation.

Hope & Healing Are Possible

Treatment works. Outcomes improve. Brains change.

She explained that talk therapy is effective for mild/moderate cases. And for severe cases, therapy plus medication yields best results and that even children in crisis can return to full function—or better.

She offered a metaphor for resilience: A tree in Oklahoma that survived the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building now thrives, known as the Survivor Tree.

Call to Action

Dr. Huszti urged funders to:

• Support prevention and early intervention
• Invest in workforce development (especially bilingual providers)
• Expand integrated mental health care in clinics and schools
• Fund WellSpaces and systems that catch children before they fall into crisis

“Our kids are suffering. But with the right support, they can not only survive—they can thrive, said Hustzi.

Panel Discussion Summary

The panel discussion, led by Dr. Heather Huszti, explored real-world barriers and solutions to youth mental health care in Orange County. Dr. Leigh Belhumeur of Western Youth Services emphasized the overwhelming demand for services and the importance of streamlined access through their “One Door, Any Door” model. Dr. Jeff Leyland highlighted how school districts are embedding social-emotional learning and WellSpaces to support students daily, while Dr. Chris Min stressed the need to screen children early in schools and pediatric settings—where they’re already showing up.

Panelists agreed that effective systems must be integrated, culturally competent, and rooted in relationships. The most promising models provide wraparound care for the whole family, embedded therapists in pediatric clinics, and train providers who reflect the community. Innovative programs like therapy dogs and mobile clinics were shared as examples of scalable, high-impact interventions, with philanthropy positioned as a critical driver in expanding and sustaining these efforts.

The panel urged funders to prioritize coordination, early access, and workforce development—especially bilingual and culturally aligned providers. For individuals, the panel shared practical advice: offer empathy, be a consistent caring presence, and connect families to resources like Western Youth Services. As Dr. Huszti noted, healing starts when a child feels seen, safe, and supported.

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