Dr. Ben Maxwell | Division Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rady Children’s Hospital

In this incredible seventy-eighth episode of The Gap Minders, we had the chance to talk with the remarkable Dr. Ben Maxwell, who is the Division Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital!

In this excellent episode, Nancy and Alicia are joined in the studio by Dr. Ben Maxwell, the Division Chief of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital. Rady Children’s Hospital is the largest children’s hospital in California and plays a crucial role in addressing pediatric mental health.

Hear Dr. Maxwell highlight the significant increase in psychiatric emergencies in recent years, with the hospital seeing over 4,700 cases in the last fiscal year, emphasizing the urgent need for mental health support for children and adolescents. This episode also delves into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health, emphasizing that it exacerbated existing challenges such as social disconnection, stress, and uncertainty.

Listen as Dr. Maxwell emphasizes the importance of community collaboration and partnerships with organizations like UC San Diego, San Diego Center for Children, and others to address the crisis effectively. He also discusses efforts to train pediatricians to identify and address mental health concerns in children early on and the need to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues. This episode also touches on the importance of social connection and community in promoting mental well-being and how everyone can contribute to building a more connected and supportive society.

An excellent episode on filling gaps in the community with Dr. Maxwell. Here are some other takeaways from the interview:

• The youth mental health crisis and its significant impact on pediatric care at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
• How the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing mental health challenges among children and adolescents, emphasizing the need for community support.
• Collaboration with various organizations and training programs for pediatricians are essential strategies to address the crisis effectively.
• Stigma surrounding mental health issues is gradually diminishing, but there is still much work to be done to ensure early intervention and support.
• The importance of social connections and community in promoting mental well-being is highlighted, with an emphasis on everyone’s role in building a more connected and supportive society.
• The answers to the rapid-fire questions

An excellent interview from a passionate gap minder. Thank you, Ben, for your contributions in San Diego, and for joining us on The Gap Minders.

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Alicia, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.