Student access to teletherapy skyrockets as schools combat youth mental health crisis

Kirstin Smith was worried after her 5-year-old had a traumatic interaction with another student at school this past fall. 

Her daughter’s behavior had changed — she was hiding under desks at school and waking up scared from her nightmares. Smith wanted to get her some help.

A couple months later, the kindergartner was sitting cross-legged on her mother’s bed, chatting with “her lady” on a laptop screen while Smith stirred macaroni in the kitchen. Every so often, Smith pressed her ear to the bedroom door or cracked it open to...