Executive Summary -

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already-growing mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) (behavioral health) crisis gripping children and youth in the United States. It has spurred federal, state, and other actions to expand funding and treatment opportunities to improve the behavioral health and well-being of these young people. The crisis is impacting children, adolescents, young adults, and their families and caretakers across all social and demographic levels. Addressing it requires a concerted effort across multiple sectors, including health, education, justice, and child welfare. Medicaid, the largest health insurer for children and adolescents and primary payer of behavioral health care in the United States, can serve as a linchpin for states seeking to improve behavioral health care for children and youth.