Latest news with #AkronChildren'sHospital
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Kids Are in Crisis. Could Chatbot Therapy Help?
Ashland, Ohio, is a small rural city where Akron Children's Hospital has one of its 46 pediatric clinics. Last winter, I met Kristin Seveigny, the clinic's mental-health therapist, in her office there. The hospital hired her two years earlier, at a time when the pandemic had exacerbated a nationwide crisis in adolescent mental health. From 2007 to 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide deaths among 10-to-24-year-olds increased more than 60 percent. In 2023, the agency reported that 40 percent of high schoolers felt persistently sad or hopeless; one in five had serious thoughts of suicide, and one in 10 had attempted it. Currently, the agency estimates that nearly one in five children in the United States ages 3 to 17 has at some point been diagnosed with a mental- or behavioral-health condition. Among adolescents, one in five reports having unmet health care needs. The situation in Ashland mirrors those trends. The practice conducts 6,000 wellness checkups a year, each lasting 15 to 40 minutes. These include a standard nine-question screening for depression. If a young patient seems to be at immediate risk of self-harm, the doctor arranges for transport to the local emergency room. Before Seveigny was hired, if screenings revealed that children were experiencing symptoms of mild to moderate depression — which is the case more than a quarter of the time — pediatricians were only able to offer referrals to outside agencies for mental-health services. 'Most patients I would refer never went,' Tamara Cunningham, a physician who has worked at the practice for eight years, told me. 'In this area, a lot of counseling offices are not taking any patients, or there's a six-month wait.' That lack of availability was a big reason that Seveigny and Cunningham agreed to try out an unusual tool: a smartphone chatbot, designed to teach coping skills to adolescents during their wait for an appointment with a therapist. Patients needed a referral to download the app, called Woebot, on their phone. Once they did, it would periodically ask how they were feeling; patients could also start a conversation with it anytime. Depending on what they shared — by typing a message or selecting from a few choices — the bot usually responded with validation first, like 'That sounds really hard.' Then it would ask users if they wanted to work on strategies that could help them feel better. Unlike ChatGPT and other popular chatbot models, Woebot was not 'generative A.I.,' that is, capable of generating unique responses by consulting the internet; all its messages were preapproved by psychologists to deliver, primarily, a type of treatment known as cognitive behavioral therapy, in which patients learn to identify and reframe negative thoughts. Seveigny and Cunningham couldn't see what their patients wrote to Woebot, but the data — for instance, the time of day when users logged in and for how long — was stripped of identifying details by a third party and sent to the app's parent company, Woebot Health, for analysis. The hope of everyone involved was that the chatbot would help young people learn how to handle distress and offer support during times when Seveigny or another therapist was unavailable. When I visited, Seveigny, Cunningham and their colleagues had been offering Woebot to patients for about two months. Seveigny had asked several of them if they would come in and share their experiences using the app. The first to show up was Brian, a quiet middle schooler. Wearing black cowboy boots, he sat on a sofa in Seveigny's office with his mother, Misty, his hands jammed into the front pocket of his sweatshirt, where he kept his inhaler. I asked him what he enjoyed doing when he wasn't in school. After encouraging him to respond, Misty answered for him. He liked video games, she said, and he played the saxophone in the school jazz band. Brian had been seeing Seveigny for several years during struggles at school and home. About six months ago, Misty noticed that he seemed to be growing increasingly depressed. 'He's getting to that age when things are tough,' she said. 'He butts heads with his dad and brother.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local families meet with legislators, advocating against Medicaid cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJW) – Local families are among dozens from across the country at the nation's capital on Thursday meeting with lawmakers to advocate against budget cuts to Medicaid. Mia Wilson, 14, of New Franklin, is in Washington with her family where they met with Senators Bernie Moreno, Jon Husted as well as Representatives Amelia Sykes and Michael Rulli. As FOX 8 shared on Friday, Wilson was born with a critical heart defect and on more than one occasion there were concerns she might not survive. She continues to endure daily breathing treatments along with other procedures. Her mother said Mia takes 40 doses of medication each day, totaling thousands of dollars a month. More than 400,000 Ohioans see driver's license suspensions lifted under new law Although her family has health insurance, she has also been helped through Medicaid. After meeting with legislators on Thursday, her mother said she believes Mia's story made an impression. 'I'm actually very surprised at the amount of time that the representatives and the senators have given us. They are obviously very, very busy and it's just been great,' said her mother, Wendy. Also in Washington representing Akron Children's Hospital is two-year-old Amaiyah Hill of Twinsburg. Amaiyah accidentally swallowed baby oil when she was being bathed at home. Complications resulted in an extended hospital stay, during which it was at one time believed she would need a double lung transplant. She was able to have access to the care she needed because of Medicaid. On Thursday, her mother, Stephanie Hill, sharing her heartwarming, inspirational story and 'triumph' with Ohio's senators and Representative Sykes. 'I am telling them to do whatever they can to keep Medicaid. It's extremely important to a lot of families in this country,' she said. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the budget bill which now resides in the Senate. There is pressure from the president for lawmakers to sign off on what he has called his 'big, beautiful bill' But the Children's Hospital Association, which has organized Family Advocacy Day for the past 20 years, hopes legislators are also paying attention to what their constituents are saying. 'The executive branch plays a key roll here for sure, but what I would love for lawmakers to do is really to listen critically to the children that have shared their stories. They are sharing stories of survival, their stories of resilience and hope and I really would hope that they'd be able to carry that forward when they're having these important discussions,' said Dr. Torey Mack, the organization's chief medical officer. They are also advocating for specific provisions within the program. On Friday, Chris Gessner, the CEO of Akron Children's Hospital, said as much as 54% of the hospital's patients benefit from Medicaid and the proposed cuts would be devastating. 'From my perspective, we understand the need to balance the budget and be responsible with resources, but we really don't want to see that done by cutting into the future of our country, our kids health,' said Gessner. Local OVI checkpoint planned after several arrests FOX 8 also reached out to Husted, who responded with a statement: 'We need to save Medicaid. And saving Medicaid means you have to make it financially sustainable. We want to make sure that children, people with disabilities and the people who are really in need have this program available to them. To do that, able-bodied, healthy Americans without dependents have to give back to their communities in return for the benefits they're getting. America has a $36 trillion national debt, so we have to be smart about finding savings in order to protect these programs.' Families were also expected to meet with Representative Shontel Brown of Cleveland who, in an earlier news conference, said she would do everything possible to preserve Medicaid. 'In my state of Ohio, the state government has already said that if these cuts are enacted under state law, they would end the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion in our state. So what does that mean? It means 770,000 people will lose their healthcare. That's an entire congressional district in just one state. This is suffering on a massive scale and it's going to hurt people of all backgrounds,' said Brown. The Children's Hospital Association represents roughly 200 hospitals across the country. Sixty of them sent families to Washington on Thursday where they were also advocating for access to pediatric hospitals, which Gessner said is particularly concerning in many rural areas of the country. They are also advocating for continued support for staffing at children's hospitals and support for what they describe as the 'growing youth mental health crisis.' 'What I would say is that children really are key to our future, so when we think about making cuts, the children shouldn't be on the chopping block. When I say that it's all of our children, they deserve access to care. They deserve a specialized treatment that children's hospitals are able to provide. We really hope to be able to get that across,' said Mack. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local families head to DC to fight Medicaid cuts
CLEVELAND (WJW) — As the battle over the proposed budget bill continues in the nation's capital, local families are preparing to go to Washington to meet directly with lawmakers to advocate for the preservation of Medicaid. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the sweeping budget bill that reportedly cuts $600 billion from Medicaid and would eventually reduce enrollment by millions. Missing 7-year-old paddleboarder found, and he only had one question New Franklin mother Wendy Wilson is planning to go to Washington with her daughter Mia, 14, representing University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. Since birth, Mia has had a critical heart defect called Ebstein's anomaly. Wendy said she wasn't able to be repaired, meaning her heart is not fixed. More than once she was at risk of dying. Although she does enjoy activities including boating, going to concerts and just having fun, Mia is on a daily routine that includes breathing treatments twice a day, feeding tubes and about 40 doses of medication every day. Her mother left her work when Mia was young so she could care for her. Her father has a good job with insurance, but Mia's condition keeps them from getting any other insurance. 'I haven't checked recently, but the last time I checked, it was around $5,000 a month for just her medicine,' said Wendy. That does not include all of the additional costs. They qualified for assistance through Medicaid through a state program that picks up a large portion of the cost. Without it, Wendy said they could be at risk of losing their home. Akron Children's Hospital will be represented in Akron by Stephanie Hill of Twinsburg and her 2-year-old daughter Amaiyah. At 17 months old, Amaiyah accidentally swallowed some baby oil while she was taking a bath. Although it did not immediately show signs of significantly impacting the toddler, within a short time, she started to experience breathing problems and was eventually admitted to Akron Children's Hospital where she spent 152 days. During that time, her condition became so serious that there was consideration of Amaiyah needing a double lung transplant. 'As we were waiting to hear back from her insurance, we got word that they denied it, but that very same day was the day she started getting better and better,' said Stephanie. In February, Amaiyah was released from the hospital. On Friday — having celebrated her second birthday just this week — she appeared to have suffered no ill effects from that episode. Without Medicaid, she may not have had access to the health care that helped her recover. Remains found in search for missing teen last seen at airport Chris Gessner, CEO of Akron Children's Hospital, said about 54% of the patients at his hospital are helped by Medicaid, which he believes is about the norm across the state. 'I think its been proven, evidence-based, that kids who have access to high quality health care services do much better long-term and and the Medicaid program is wonderful from a benefit perspective in terms of what it covers,' Gessner said. 'It would be a real problem for us. I mean, with over half of our business with Medicaid, we pay a lot of attention when they start talking about Medicaid cuts,' Gessner told FOX 8 News. 'From my perspective, we understand the need to balance the budget and be responsible with resources, but we really don't want to see that done by cutting into the future of our country — our kids' health,' he added. As the debate over Medicaid cuts continues in Washington, he hopes federal lawmakers understand how the program has a direct impact on the welfare of young lives. When discussing the budget bill, President Donald Trump has defended the need to make cuts to Medicaid. 'The only thing we are cutting is waste, fraud and abuse from Medicaid,' Trump said, discussing his 'big beautiful bill' on May 30. Among the lawmakers who the Hill family knows they will be speaking with directly is Ohio's Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill the term of now Vice President J.D. Vance. FOX 8 News reached out to Husted's office on Wednesday and was sent a written statement which reads: 'We need to save Medicaid. And saving Medicaid means you have to make it financially sustainable. We want to make sure that children, people with disabilities and the people who are really in need have this program available to them. To do that, able-bodied, healthy Americans without dependents have to give back to their communities in return for the benefits they're getting. America has a $36 trillion national debt, so we have to be smart about finding savings in order to protect these programs.' Participating in a Democratic news conference about Medicaid on May 20, U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown of Cleveland said she will do everything within her power to preserve the program. 'In my state of Ohio, the state government has already said that if these cuts are enacted under state law, they would end the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion in our state, so what does that mean? It means 770,000 people will lose their health care. That's an entire congressional district in just one state. This is suffering on a massive scale and it's going to hurt people of all backgrounds,' said Brown. Sobriety checkpoints Friday: Here's where in Northeast Ohio Next week's trip to Washington, D.C., is sponsored by the Children's Hospital Association, an organization that represents 150 hospitals across the country. It is an annual trip the organization schedules each year, giving each member hospital the opportunity to nominate one family as their representative. Among the other things for which they are advocating is access to pediatric hospitals, which Gessner said is particularly concerning in many rural areas of the country. They will also be advocating for what they describe as the 'growing youth mental health crisis.' But for Medicaid, the Northeast Ohio families that are going hope they can show firsthand how important the program has been for them. 'We have good insurance and it's still just not enough. With the health care costs and the way the policies run, [Mia] can't get insurance anywhere else,' said Wilson. 'Mia's never gone without something that she needed, but I also realize that's not the case for everybody. 'Thank God we are in a position where we are surrounded by a community that literally has helped us pay for these things when we didn't have coverage — but not everybody is in that position.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ohio officials address community shocked by teen's deadly parade accident
Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree said May 27 that her office is investigating the death of a teen boy after he fell from a float in Green's Memorial Day Parade May 26. The sheriff said during a news conference at the Green Central Administration building that 13-year-old Matthew Schultz was one of seven youths riding on a trailer in the float. It was pulled by a Ford truck along Massillon Road South. In Matthew's fall, he was struck by tires and taken to Akron Children's Hospital, she said. "The truck and trailer were nearing the end of the parade," she said. The investigation is looking into Matthew's fall from the float. "Was there anything that may have occurred that caused him to fall?" she asked "Was there anyone around him?" Green Mayor Rocco Yeargin said the city is reviewing its policies on parades after the incident. "Yesterday," he said, "the unthinkable happened." Yeargin said he spoke briefly with Matthew's family after the incident. "I am grateful for the support our community has shown for the Schultz family," he said. Danielle Paciorek, a friend of the Schultz family, said they are asking for time to deal with the tragedy. "They are holding on tightly to memories, their faith and community...." she said. A GoFundMe page started to help Matthew's family can be reached at By early afternoon May 27, more than $12,600 had been raised. The GoFundMe can also be reached at the City of Green website. Fatheree and Yeargin also asked that the family be given privacy. "Please let them be at home alone," Fatheree said. "Give them the space that they need." Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@ Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio parade accident that killed Matthew Schultz to be investigated
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
13-year-old Lake Township boy killed in Green Memorial Day parade identified
The Summit County Medical Examiner's office has identified the 13-year-old boy from Lake Township who was killed May 26 while participating in the Green Memorial Day parade as Matthew Schultz. Matthew was reportedly riding on a trailer that was being pulled by a pickup truck at about 11:23 a.m. when he fell off the front and was subsequently struck by its wheels. The Green Fire Department, who was already on the site for the parade, transported Matthew to the Akron Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:04 p.m. He was a seventh grader in North Canton City Schools. The Summit County Sheriff's Office as well as the Summit Metro Crash team are investigating the incident. This story has been updated. Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@ or on Twitter @athompsonABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Matthew Schultz killed in Green Memorial Day parade accident
