France fights kids’ mental health woes with free counseling

<p>REIMS, France &mdash; France’s president promised free psychological counseling Wednesday for children and teenagers struck by a wave of mental health difficulties that accompanied the coronavirus pandemic.</p>
<p>With a doctor’s prescription, those aged 3 to 17 will be entitled to 10 free sessions with a psychologist. The French presidency said the scheme will run for the duration of the health crisis.</p>
<p>President Emmanuel Macron announced the additional help after meeting doctors and families at a pediatric psychiatric unit.</p>
<p>He said that pandemic shutdowns of schools and out-of-school activities are “very traumatic for our young people.” </p>
<p>French schools are in the midst of another shutdown scheduled to last at least three weeks, part of measures to curb the country’s latest infection surge.</p>
<p>Psychiatrists say the deaths of loved ones with COVID-19, repeated disruptions to their lives and studies, and the clouding of their futures have had <a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-rise-childhood-mental-health-pandemic-8392ceff77ac8e1e0f90a32214e7def1">devastating effects on the mental health</a> of alarming numbers of children and adolescents.</p>
<p>Doctors have reported <a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-news-france-coronavirus-pandemic-mental-health-99db6e83c092f426b453670fa1b95cd3">surges of psychiatric emergencies</a> involving young people, including attempted suicides, self-harming, panic attacks and other symptoms of mental anguish.</p>
<p>The latest surge of infections has pushed the government count of COVID-19 deaths in France to the cusp of 100,000 dead, a grim milestone expected to be surpassed this week.</p>
<p>Hospitals have more than 5,900 patients in intensive care, levels not seen since the first wave of infections in 2020.</p>
<hr />
<p>Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine">https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine</a></p>