Mental Health

Sad child on parents lap

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 34% of Texas high school students (Grades 9th - 12th) have depression symptoms, compared to 31% in the United States. Moreover, 34% of students (Grades 9th-12th) in Texas reported that they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row so that they stopped doing some usual activities.

One in 3 children ages 6–17 in our eight-county service area has a diagnosed mental health need. This represents an estimated 267,730 school-age children, and the rate in our eight-county service area is higher than state and national rates:¹

31%: 8 county service area, 2021
23%: State of Texas, 2019
23%: U.S., 2019

Nearly 7 in 10 children have a caregiver who is not very familiar with mental health services in the community.¹ Of the 252,000 school-age children who needed mental health treatment or counseling, 45% have a caregiver who experienced difficulty getting this care while 6% were unable to get needed care. Barriers to care included the pandemic, cost of care, inadequate insurance, scheduling conflicts and limited service availability in their areas.¹

Coping cards

If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911.

To access any of Cook Children's services, contact our Intake Department at (682) 885-3917.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text or chat: 988 | visit 988lifeline.org

If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out. People you can talk to might include: mental health provider, school counselor, church or clergy member, physician, or an adult you trust (coach, teacher, neighbor, parent).

Get Involved

Wellness Alliance for Total Children's Health (WATCH) of Denton County

Wellness Alliance for Total Children’s Health (WATCH) of Denton County works to increase awareness of and access to mental health services to help families recognize and manage mental health issues.
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