In 2021, during the COVID pandemic, 37% of high school students reported poor mental health according to the CDC. That number has been on the rise since the early 2000s, with a 60% increase in reports of major depressive episodes between 2007 and 2019.

“Often, parents are struggling to understand what’s going on with their kids,” says Luciana Gonzalez, a director of outpatient services with Newport Healthcare. “Kids are trying to navigate their emotions, the pressures of social media, and they’re trying to find a place to fit in.” Gonzalez works at Newport Healthcare’s new outpatient program in Pewaukee, treating clients between ages 12 and 17. Newport uses attachment-based family therapy, which involves the young person’s family in therapy to help build a strong emotional support system that will last after their treatment ends. Concerned parents can bring their child to Newport for a consultation, and if they believe their child would benefit, Newport offers a full-day therapy program or a three-hour-per-day option.

“We tailor it to the individual – it’s not a cookie-cutter approach,” says Gonzalez. “Our goal is to give them the tools they need to be the best that they can be.”