Children's Healthcare of Atlanta tackles mental health crisis

ATLANTA - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is tackling the mental health crisis in adolescences in an extraordinary way. They will soon be opening a behavioral and mental health pediatric center.

"It will be a hub to get services in the community, including statewide," said CEO Donna Hyland.

Just down the road from Children's North Druid Hills campus will be the Zalik Behavioral and Mental Health Center. It was named after David and Helen Zalik, who donated two buildings and ten acres of land.

The timing could not be better as the mental health crisis worsens, exasperated by the pandemic.

"The magnitude of the prevalence of these conditions and the severity has accelerated over time," said Dr. John Constantino, who will head up the program.

The center will enhance access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment as Children's works with providers throughout the community.

"We've launched a lot of preventative services. Part of what this program is going to be is getting resources out in the community as well," said CEO Donna Hyland.

It will be a hub for in-person and virtual care to be delivered throughout Georgia.

"We would have a bank of professionals working out of this facility that would be doing tele-psych across the state," said Hyland.

The Zalik Center for Behavioral and Mental Health will also be a home for research, teaching, and family education.

"People will be looking toward Children's, because the scope of it and the fact that it encompasses the full continuum of mental health care is relatively unprecedented in the U.S.," said Constantino.

No official date has been given for the opening of the center, but since the buildings are already in place, it will likely be in the first half of 2023.