Behavioral health spending spikes to 40% of all children’s health expenditures, nearly doubling in a decade
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 15-Jun-2026 06:15 ET (15-Jun-2026 10:15 GMT/UTC)
Behavioral health care has surged to represent 40% of all medical expenditures for U.S. children in 2022, nearly doubling from 22% in 2011, according to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers found that pediatric behavioral health expenditures totaled $41.8 billion in 2022, with families paying $2.9 billion out-of-pocket. Most concerning, out-of-pocket costs for children's behavioral health increased at more than twice the rate of other medical expenses, leaving many families struggling with significant financial burden.