Guide To State Mental Health Services Debuts

A new guide for parents to navigating the state's mental health services for children is now available free online.

The guide is meant for families of children with mental health problems ranging from depression to eating disorders to anxiety. It offers step-by-step advice on how to find and pay for treatment services.

Josh Greenberg of Children's Hospital Boston says it's an important tool because the state's mental health system is complex and fragmented.

"It's a guide that is very practical," says Greenberg, "from initial diagnosis all the way through to how to access clinical mental health services, to how to make sure your school is supporting mental health needs. It's also got a great index of resources."

The guide can be found on the websites of Children's Hospital and the Boston Bar Association, which worked together to produce it.