Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has received a $25 million grant from the Tikun Olam Foundation of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles to expand mental health services for children from birth to age three. This initiative aims to address mental health needs in infants, an often overlooked area. The program will provide mental health screenings to approximately 30,000 families annually, significantly increasing from the current 1,800 families served each year.
The grant will enable CHLA to offer universal infant-family mental health services, making it one of the first hospitals in the country to do so. The focus is on strengthening the bond between parents and children during the crucial early years, which is vital for healthy brain development. According to Melissa Carson, a pediatric psychologist at CHLA, “These bonds are essential to a baby’s healthy brain development in a period of rapid neuron formation and great sensitivity.”
The program will also train healthcare providers in infant and family mental health care and research the effectiveness of the initiative. Dr. Christine Mirzaian, Principal Investigator of the grant, emphasized the importance of integrating mental health training into primary care to address the growing mental health crisis among children and youth.
This expansion is part of a broader effort to improve behavioral health services across the hospital. CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano expressed gratitude for the grant, stating, “This support will help us extend behavioral health services to every child that we treat, and in doing so truly make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable patients, now and in the future.”
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