The Siouxland Miracle Riders are excited to announce our 9th Annual Ride for Miracles, benefiting UnityPoint Health – St. Luke's Children's Miracle Network.  Once again, we are determined to make a difference in the lives of Siouxland's kids. The Siouxland Miracle Riders will ride again this year under our own Fund through the Siouxland Community Foundation called The Siouxland Riders for Kids Fund.

This year, our mission is to provide funds to create a Pediatric Safe Room for UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s.

Mental health conditions, such as childhood epilepsy, developmental disabilities, depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders, are major causes of illness and disability among young people. Each year, approximately half a million children with mental or behavioral health conditions are evaluated in emergency departments. According to Mental Health America, the following key findings were uncovered in their 2023 report:

 ·   Over 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life. 16.39% of youth (age 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year. 11.5% of youth (over 2.7 million youth) are experiencing severe major depression.

·   59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. 

·   Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15–19-year-olds.

·   Nationally, only 28% of youth with severe depression receive some consistent treatment (7-25+ visits in a year).  Most (57.3%) youth with severe depression do not receive any care.

Boarding pediatric psychiatric patients in the Emergency Department (ED) is a long-standing problem at many hospitals due to a nationwide lack of inpatient beds. Patients boarded in the ED are understandably stressed and require 1:1, 24/7 care. In July of 2023, UnityPoint St. Luke’s logged 1,298 1:1 hours for both adult and pediatric patients, the most ever recorded in a single month. This creates a cascade of issues including:

·   Increased psychological stress on pediatric patients who may already be in depressed or in a mental health crisis state.

·   Delayed mental health treatment that could mitigate the need for a mental health inpatient stay.

·   Consumption of scarce Emergency Department resources. 

·   Increased pressure on staff.

·   Worsened Emergency Department crowding.

·   Increased wait times, delaying the critical help needed.

·   Delayed treatment for Emergency Department pediatric patients – some of whom may have life-threatening conditions.

·   Increased rates of pediatric patients who leave without being seen.

·   Lengthened inpatient stays, keeping kids away from their families and loved ones. 

As ED visits for children with psychiatric illness continue to rise, collective thought and resources must be applied to mitigate behavioral health-related risk in the ED. UnityPoint St. Luke’s is committed to these efforts and will be converting former infusion rooms into private, ligature free rooms.  Additionally, with the funds raised from the Ride this year, from the generous support from the Siouxland Miracle Rider’s Sponsors and Donors, one room will be designed and renovated specifically for pediatric patients. Not only will this ensure better pediatric patient-centered care, but it will also create safeguards to keep our young patients with active suicidality safe during treatment by removing ligature points, providing tamper-resistant products, requiring high-quality, impact-resistant materials, and ensuring the proper amount of visual access and security.

We are asking for your generous support in providing these crucial pieces of equipment, as your contribution will have a direct impact on the lives of Siouxland children, offering them the essential care they require during their most vulnerable moments. Together, we can create a significant and lasting impact, ensuring that UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Children's Miracle Network Hospital remains a beacon of hope for families in Sioux City and beyond.