Parental mental health support for families of children with psychiatric disorders: A framework for service system development in China.
Children with psychiatric disorders in China represent a significant and growing public health concern. Parents of these children experience substantial psychological distress, including elevated stress, anxiety, and depression, which impairs their well-being and compromises child treatment outcomes. Despite the bidirectional relationship between parental and child mental health, current services in China remain predominantly child-focused, with limited systematic support for parents. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for developing parental mental health support services within China's child psychiatric care system. The framework integrates multi-tiered services, cross-sectoral collaboration, workforce development, technology-enabled delivery, and quality assurance mechanisms. Guided by principles of family-centered care and cultural adaptation, this framework addresses existing system-level barriers while leveraging opportunities such as the Healthy China 2030 initiative. Implementation of this framework has the potential to enhance family well-being, improve child mental health outcomes, and advance health equity across China.