Washoe County's Children Deserve Better Than the Health Care We’re Giving Them
Every community is ultimately judged by how it treats its children. Yet thousands of children in Washoe County lack consistent access to the physical and mental health care they need to thrive.
Jun 23, 2026
We don’t like to admit it, but Washoe County has a child health care crisis hiding in plain sight.
When we think about health care, we picture hospitals, emergency rooms, and doctor visits after someone becomes sick. But the most effective health care is preventive care—identifying problems early, providing treatment before conditions worsen, and ensuring children have the support they need to grow into healthy adults.
Unfortunately, too many children never receive that support. For a nation that prides itself on being the most medically advanced in the world, this should trouble us. And the consequences are not abstract. They are happening every day in every school and in every neighborhood.
The numbers tell a story we can’t ignore
Washoe County’s youth are struggling, and the data is blunt:
Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people ages 10–24.
60.8% of Nevada youth with behavioral health conditions receive no treatment.
Roughly 20% of school days are missed because of health issues.
Nevada ranks 51st in youth mental health access — dead last.
These aren’t just statistics. They are indicators of a system that is failing children who depend on adults to protect them.
Behind those numbers are real children. Children suffering from untreated asthma who miss school because they cannot breathe comfortably. Children struggling with anxiety or depression who have nowhere to turn for help. Children whose vision problems make reading difficult but go undiagnosed for years—children with developmental challenges who miss critical opportunities for early intervention.
When kids don’t get care, the community pays
Inadequate health care doesn’t just harm children in the moment — it shapes their entire future. The impacts are predictable and preventable:
Developmental delays that go undiagnosed
Worsening chronic conditions due to inconsistent care
More emergency room visits for issues that should have been managed earlier
Lower academic performance due to chronic absenteeism
Higher long‑term health costs for families and taxpayers
Reduced workforce productivity as untreated childhood issues follow kids into adulthood
Greater reliance on social services and disability programs
We pay for inaction one way or another — either upfront through prevention or later through crisis.
Chronic Absenteeism: Washoe County Cannot Afford to Ignore the Crisis
The hidden costs of inaction are real
Many people view children’s health care as a social issue. It is also an economic issue.
Poor childhood health contributes to lower educational attainment, reduced workforce participation, and higher long-term public expenditures. When children miss school due to untreated health conditions, their learning suffers. When behavioral health needs go unmet, disciplinary incidents increase. When preventive care is unavailable, emergency room visits become more common.
We pay one way or another. The question is whether we pay now through smart investments or later through higher social and economic costs.
Consider a student who misses several weeks of school due to untreated health concerns. That student’s academic performance may decline. Additional educational resources may be required. Graduation becomes less certain. Future earning potential may decrease.
Multiply that scenario thousands of times across a community, and the impact becomes significant.
Mental health is health care
One of the most urgent challenges facing our youth is mental health.
Nevada has consistently ranked near the bottom nationally for youth mental health access and services. At the same time, anxiety, depression, social isolation, and behavioral challenges among young people have increased dramatically.
In Washoe County, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among youth ages 10 to 24.
Mental health challenges often begin early. The earlier treatment is provided, the better the outcomes. Yet many families face barriers, including cost, transportation, provider shortages, and long wait times.
These statistics should alarm every parent, educator, employer, and elected official. No child should have to wait months for help during a mental health crisis.
Reno’s Hidden Economic Crisis: Childcare Is Breaking the Workforce
A practical solution is in front of us
If we want to improve access to care, we should start where children already are. Schools provide a unique opportunity to connect children with health services. Schools are trusted institutions where health needs can be identified and addressed before they become crises.
If every child eventually walks through the doors of a school, then schools are the most logical place to deliver basic health care — including mental health services. And thanks to telehealth, we don’t need to build new clinics or hire armies of new staff to make it happen.
Programs already operating in other communities show remarkable results:
11 fewer days of chronic absenteeism
75% reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms
94% reduction in behavioral incidents
These outcomes aren’t theoretical. They’re happening right now in districts that chose to act rather than wait for someone else to fix the problem. Students miss fewer days of school. Mental health outcomes improve. Behavioral incidents decline. Teachers spend more time teaching and less time addressing preventable crises.
We can do this for $1 per child per month
For elementary and middle school students in the Washoe County School District, a comprehensive in-school‑based telehealth program would cost just $550,000 per year — less than $1 per child per month. For all our kids, we are talking about $1M a year.
That is an astonishingly small investment for an astonishingly large return: healthier kids, stronger families, better educational outcomes, and a more resilient community. We don’t need to wait for federal or state governments to swoop in. We can choose to solve this ourselves.
It’s time to act for a better future
Imagine a Washoe County where every child has access to basic health care regardless of family income, transportation challenges, or insurance limitations, where fewer students miss school due to untreated illness, and where they have faster access to mental health support.
That future is within reach. We can take meaningful steps today that will improve lives for decades to come. The health of our children is not a partisan issue. It is a community issue. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Providing access to basic health care is one of the most important ways we can make that opportunity a reality. Our children deserve a community willing to invest in their health, their stability, and their future.
This article originated from a conversation with Mike Kazmierski, executive director of Strengthen Our Communities, a 501(c) nonprofit, and is supported by a donation from the organization. Strengthen Our Community is working to make this vision real. If you want to help — or want to learn more — visit socnnv.org.
Do you have a story to tell? Write to me at: mike@mikesrenoreport.com
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