Commentaries at the San Antonio Report provide space for our community to share perspectives and offer solutions to pressing local issues. The views expressed in this commentary belong to the author alone.
As parents and caregivers, we are tasked with raising children in a world that demands resilience. Yet for many Texas families, that resilience is already being stretched thin.
We know many children in Texas are struggling; a “Kids Count 2023” study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation stated: “More than 1.2 million Texas children under 18 years report having at least one mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem.” That equates to 1-in-5 of all Texas youth.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISAQRS) Leading Cases of Death 2023 data, revealed that suicide was the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10-34 years of age. Alarmingly, the 2023 CDC WISAQRS Fatal Injury report revealed that firearms were the most common method used in suicide deaths in the United States. This is a crisis with life-and-death consequences as recently seen in Bexar County with the tragic death of 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos and other child suicide deaths in Bexar County in 2025.
In my four years as a clinician at the nonprofit mental health treatment center, Clarity Child Guidance Center, I have noticed that youth and their families in Bexar County face various mental health barriers, including timely access to care, lengthy waitlists and a limited quantity of mental health providers, making it difficult for children to receive support when problems first emerge.
According to the 2025 Bexar County Community Health Needs Assessment report released in October 2025, quality mental health care was selected as a priority resource by 43% of survey respondents, but fewer than half — 21% — of respondents said they had good access to it.
Studies by the National Institute of Health consistently show that there is a delay of about eight to 10 years between the onset of symptoms and when professional treatment occurred for youth with mental illnesses in the U.S. Additional barriers to treatment may include social stigma, language barriers, issues with transportation, lack of reliable child-care and other priorities (work, school, medical emergencies, etc.) that a family is tasked to delicately balance. Together, these barriers perpetuate a system where youth often wait too long for care and families rely on crisis services instead of prevention.
However, during youth development — especially puberty — it is normal for mood changes and irritability to increase. This can leave caregivers uncertain about what’s normal and what’s a problem — and what to do when they think there is a problem.
When does “moody,” “out of control,” or “quiet” behavior go beyond what is typical for a child’s age and stage of development, and when is it important to seek help? While the answer varies depending on your unique situation, some red flags include difficulty attending school, intense verbal or physical aggression, little to no interest in engaging with peers, a sudden inability to take on or attempt new challenges, persistent anxiety when separating from a caregiver, self-harming behaviors, prolonged sadness, bullying, or becoming highly self-critical of themselves. Traumatic or stressful events where a child was directly involved or witnessed the event may certainly prompt changes in your child’s mood and overall functioning, as well.
If a child needs mental health support, there are several professional resources within Bexar County.
One helpful online search platform is the San Antonio Community Resource Directory at SACRD.org.
Another local resource is Clarity Child Guidance Center. Clarity is the only nonprofit mental health treatment center in South Texas offering a full continuum of care for children ages three to 17 and their families. It provides comprehensive, compassionate treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions — from depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation.
Serving an average of over 6,000 children and teens annually, Clarity offers a 74-bed inpatient mental health hospital, 24/7 walk-in Crisis Services department for children experiencing a mental health emergency, intensive daily treatment through partial hospitalization program, outpatient therapy, psychological assessments, care coordination, and recreational therapy. When a child is in crisis, Clarity works with families to get much needed treatment, regardless of their ability to pay.
Parents play a critical role in partnering with mental health professionals to support their child’s wellbeing.
The first line of defense is often your child’s primary care physician, who can help rule out medical conditions that may be contributing to emotional or behavioral distress and provide further referrals as needed for mental health support. Schools also serve as key partners by often identifying patterns of behavioral concerns.
Families can take additional steps by requesting formal psychological assessments or seeking consultation with a licensed mental health provider, such as a therapist or psychologist. The information gathered through a psychological assessment helps guide next steps for treatment and parents should expect and insist that the assessing provider take the time to meet with you and clearly explain their clinical findings and offer guidance on their list of recommendations.
Worrying about a child’s mental health can feel disorienting and lonely. Many times, the behavior that causes the most concern to parents is your child’s best effort to communicate that they are not okay. Whether a child’s behavior is loud, messy or unsettling, caregivers do not need the perfect response to help their child. Your steady presence is what will keep them grounded throughout the mental health recovery journey.
If your child is in danger of harming themselves or others, please call 911, or take them to the Crisis Services department of any local mental health facility. It is best to react cautiously than worry about over-reacting.
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