WBEZ recently investigated an Illinois government program called SASS that is supposed to be a lifeline for children in mental health crisis. But we found this program is riddled with holes, leaving families scrambling to get the care their children need.
Part of the problem is there are few places to send children in distress, from outpatient therapy to hospital psychiatric units. (See WBEZ’s mental health resource guide for some ways to seek treatment for your child.)
Reporters Kristen Schorsch and Sarah Karp want to hear your experiences with the child and adolescent mental health care system. They’re interested in learning more about the experiences of families, schools, mental health providers and advocates with the SASS program, and more broadly about access to youth mental health services.
