Study Finds Youth Emergency Holds Rising

A study of nearly 15,000 visits to a pediatric emergency department found that emergency holds for young people in mental health crises became more common from 2019 to 2024 and were associated with longer stays and greater use of physical restraints. The findings point to a need to examine how hold decisions are made and how youth in crisis are supported. Meanwhile, organizations in several communities are offering mental health first aid training to help adults recognize mental health and substance-use challenges, respond to crises and connect young people with help; courses include an upcoming certification in Foley and a free Spanish-language session in Falmouth. Reading Hospital also offered free training covering crisis response and naloxone, while Boston University sought volunteers to support mental health screenings and direct participants to campus resources.