ALPENA — Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health Authority (NeMCMHA) provides outpatient and inpatient therapy for the youth of Northeast Michigan. Erin Fletcher, NeMCMHA director of clinical and support services, says there are trends in the demographics of youth they serve.

At the NeMCMHA board meeting in September, Fletcher reported to the board that NeMCMHA had 345 children under the age of 18 open to services “to date.” She explained that there are a variety of services that these children receive, one of which being the outpatient services.

At the NeMCMHA board meeting in August, Fletcher stated that NeMCMHA’s “highest level” of service for children include their Homebase program, which serves children that have a “serious emotional disturbance.”

Fletcher told The News that children ages seven to 12 years old represent the largest youth demographic to receive outpatient therapy since November and December 2022. She added that the second largest youth demographic is represented by children 13 to 18 years old.

“This seems consistent as children ages zero to six don’t typically engage in therapy in an office setting,” Fletcher said. “The numbers have increased pretty steadily for outpatient therapy since 2022.”

Based on data provided by NeMCMHA, peak numbers for children receiving outpatient therapy included the following:

— June 2023, 27 children between the ages zero and six;

— October 2024, 39 children between the ages seven and 12.

— April 2022, 28 children between the ages of 13 and 15;

— February 2022 and February 2023, 20 children between the ages of 16 and 18.

Fletcher explained that their inpatient services, known as their Homebased program, represent a “significant increase” since January 2024 for children ages seven to 12. Inpatient services provided to children ages zero to six have “remained constant over the years and continue to be the smallest population of children served.”

According to Fletcher, numbers of children aged 13 to 15 and 16 to 18 have also remained constant.

“Homebased is our most intense service designation for children under the age of 18,” Fletcher stated.

Based on data provided by NeMCMHA, peak numbers for children receiving Homebased services include the following:

— July 2024, 19 children between the ages of zero and six;

— June and October 2024, 54 children between the ages of seven and 12 for both months;

— April and November 2024, 32 children between the ages 13 and 15 for both months;

— February 2024, 26 children between the ages 16 and 18.

Through the services NeMCMHA provides for children zero to 18, Fletcher said that children ages seven to 12 are the highest population served. She added that there are “jumps here and there.”

She added that trends within the organization’s departments indicate that children aged zero to six are the smallest youth demographic served by the agency.