Children’s Hospital New Orleans Launches High 5 Challenge to Raise Awareness for Child and Adolescent Mental Health during Mental Health Awareness Month

NEW ORLEANS – To support the young people and their families battling a mental health crisis that's widened and deepened over the past two years, Children’s Hospital New Orleans is launching the High 5 Challenge as part of its ‘Let’s Talk About It’ campaign. Since one in five children today is struggling with a significant mental disorder, yet less than half receive the support they need, the challenge encourages five minutes of real-talk every day.

Over the course of the last two years with the COVID-19 pandemic, ER visits for children with behavioral health complaints have drastically increased, including a 24% increase for children ages 5-11 and a 31% increase for visits for children ages 12-17. Additionally, over 46,000 Louisiana children reported having one major depressive episode in 2020 and self-harm remains a leading cause of death among young people.

This May, during National Mental Health Month, Children’s Hospital is launching the third iteration of the hospital’s mental health awareness campaign, with a refreshed message – let’s talk about it.

“This is going to be a difficult battle because you can't solve a problem until you know a problem exists, and mental disorders are an enemy that's very good at hiding in plain sight,” said Mark Rantaza, RN, Senior Director, Emergency and Behavioral Health Services, Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “The good news is we already possess the tool that gives us the best chance of winning this fight. Talking about it. This is ok to talk about.”

As part of the ‘Let’s Talk About It’ campaign, Children’s Hospital visited schools and heard from young people themselves. The campaign highlights real conversations with real kids, and the importance of engaging in meaningful conversation through the hospital’s High 5 Challenge.

The High 5 Challenge encourages five minutes of real talk every day. The challenge is about making time for meaningful connections, checking on a loved one, laughing, sharing gratitude, discussing your struggles, offering a helping hand, spreading joy, discussing a problem with a friend, being there for a family member and asking for help if you need it.

The free High 5 Challenge Toolkit includes conversation starters, resources, what to do if you need to talk to someone, self-care tips, coping strategies, a weekly checklist and more. The community is encouraged to take the challenge, download the free toolkit at chnola.org/High5 and join the fight for mental health.

In 2020, timed with the opening of its new Behavioral Health Center, Children’s Hospital launched the High 5 Project – a movement to build a community focused on mental well-being for all children. The High 5 project aims to ensure that five out of five children with mental and behavioral disorders get the help they need to thrive.

Children’s Hospital’s Behavioral Health Center is a 51-bed, 70,000 square foot center that is one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric programs in the nation. The center serves children and adolescents with a wide range of mental and health disorders, including inpatient crisis management and stabilization for children ages 7-17. Children’s Hospital also offers comprehensive outpatient services through multidisciplinary and individualized approaches. 

Learn more about the Behavioral Health Center at Children's Hospital at chnola.org/behavioralhealth and the High 5 Challenge at chnola.org/High5.