1 in 3 Virginia moms unable to get mental health care for their children, survey says

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A new national survey has revealed that nearly a third of Virginia mothers cannot access important resources for their children.

In the survey by mental health advocacy organization Inseparable and research and insights organization Count on Mothers, one in three moms in Virginia reported being unable to access mental health care for their children when they needed it.

2,700 moms were surveyed nationwide, and 56% said they were worried about their children's mental health. The biggest barriers to access they reported was time, followed by cost.

According to the survey, of the moms that reported being unable to access adequate mental health coverage for their kids, 80% have private insurance, compared to 13% with Medicaid.

But even with insurance, mothers reported that time was an issue, saying it's difficult to get appointments with therapists and these appointments often require taking time off work and school.

One in three mothers reported difficulty accessing counselors or psychologists at school, even though those supports most often were better aligned with family life.

Another notable survey finding was that families more worried about their children's mental health were the most likely to be unable to get care. The top influencers of their children's mental health challenges were school and academics, peers and bullying, and social media and screens.

The majority of moms said expanding school-based services and improving private insurance coverage would be good steps toward addressing the youth mental health crisis.

You can learn more about the survey and its findings on Count on Mothers' website.

You can also view the full survey results below.