Event: Youth Mental Health: Exploring the Continuum of Care for Children and Adolescents

Panelists at “Youth Mental Health: Exploring the Continuum of Care for Children and Adolescents.”

On September 16, 2025, CAMH held a briefing for congressional staff to provide an overview of pediatric mental health services, from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention services, through a wide array of treatment methods and modalities to meet the needs of children and their families. The briefing was an opportunity to hear directly from pediatric health care professionals and parents about how and why mental health care looks different in pediatrics, and to explore the challenges and opportunities in improving access to mental care for children and youth.

The event began with brief remarks from staff for Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and continued with a panel discussion of experts and advocates. The speakers were:

• Anne Dwyer, Associate Research Professor, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, Moderator

• Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s National Hospital

• Melvin Oates, MD, adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist

• Heather Huszti, PhD, licensed psychologist and chief psychologist, CHOC

• Fari Ghamina Tumpe, caregiver

The briefing resources are linked below.