Equity & Access · Texas behavioral health news
Study reveals disparities in mental health care for Texas youth: Newsroom - UT Southwestern Medical Center
Mental Health Equity (Google News) · June 10, 2025
In plain language
A study by UT Southwestern researchers found that young people in Texas from low-income families often do not receive the most effective treatment for depression and suicidal thoughts. While combining therapy and medication is the recommended standard of care, youth from households earning $25,000 or less were three times more likely to receive medication alone compared to those from wealthy families. These financial barriers may prevent vulnerable children from accessing the comprehensive support they need to recover. Researchers are now looking at telehealth programs to help bridge these gaps across the state.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Texas youth from low-income households are significantly less likely to receive both medication and therapy for depression.
- Combining psychotherapy and medication is considered the most effective treatment for moderate to severe depression in young people.
- Youth from wealthy households were much more likely to receive the recommended combination of treatments than lower-income peers.
- Researchers found no significant differences in mental health treatment based on a child's race or sex.
- Financial and geographic barriers often force families to settle for less effective, medication-only treatment plans.
- New telehealth initiatives like Activ8 aim to improve access to behavioral health services for teens throughout Texas.
Study reveals disparities in mental health care for Texas youth: Newsroom UT Southwestern Medical Center
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