An anonymous donor has given Children's Hospital Los Angeles $25 million to help expand its behavioral health program, the hospital announced Jan. 26.
Hospital staff have reported more anxiety and depression among patients brought on by such factors as social isolation and loss of routine during the pandemic, the hospital stated in a news release announcing the donation. The $25 million gift allows the hospital to expand access to its cognitive, emotional and behavioral health services to help address this trend.
With the gift, the hospital said it plans to expand proactive screenings and interventions, establish behavioral health training for providers, advocate for policy changes that improve childhood behavioral health services and finish the implementation of a new behavioral health outpatient program and building of an outpatient behavioral health clinic. The funding will also help the hospital adopt technology and pursue research to increase the efficiency of behavioral health services
"This profound act of generosity allows Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to significantly advance its ability to address this critically important part of our patients' health and development, and it comes at an especially crucial time, when the COVID-19 pandemic is directly affecting the mental health of nearly every child in the United States and throughout the world," Alexandra Carter, the hospital's senior vice president and chief development officer, said in a news release.