The pandemic exacerbated Minnesota’s health care crisis – especially among kids

Even before COVID-19, more kids were coming to primary care with mental health issues, but the frequency and severity of problems since 2020 has intensified, said Dr. Eileen Crespo, president of the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“We have just never had the volume of patients, who are all symptomatic at the same time, like we are seeing right now,” said Crespo, who practices at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.