5 key recommendations for improving youth mental health

Dear Fellow Advocates,

We’re firm believers that Governors are leading the way on mental health. We are thrilled to share that the National Governors Association (NGA) Youth Mental Health Playbook, which we worked on with Governor Phil Murphy, The Kennedy Forum, Mental Health America, the American Psychological Association, and NGA staff, will be released next week. The Washington Post ran a great preview of it on the 4th of July: Opinion A governor’s playbook for improving youth mental health should catch on. Here’s a preview of the recommendations:

1. Prioritize early screening and interventions (including in non-medical settings)

The majority of mental health conditions typically remain untreated until individuals reach adulthood, which is why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises screening for anxiety starting at the age of 8, and for depressive disorders or the risk of suicide from the age of 12. Approximately half of all mental health conditions begin before the age of 14, emphasizing the importance and effectiveness of early intervention.

2. Invest in youth mobile response teams

Why? Because it’s working:

• “Oklahoma says its program has diverted 78 percent of youths from inpatient care, leading to fewer police calls and reduced Medicaid costs.”
• “Nevada claims 92 percent of those who engaged with its Youth Mobile Crisis Program avoided emergency room stays.”
• “Connecticut contracts with clinics to provide no-cost statewide mobile response teams, whether at home or in school. It has seen a 22 percent reduction in emergency room visits and a 40 percent drop in student arrests.”

These statistics are all encouraging and highlight the significance of acting quickly. However, it is insufficient to only provide support to children in crisis situations. For rapid response to be truly effective, it should be complemented by long-term assistance at the individual, family, and community levels.

3. Expand mental health education in school curriculum

Teaching youth to care for their mental health is just as important as taking care of their physical health. This means that mental health should be given the same level of attention in school curricula. Just as schools teach about physical health, they should also include education about mental health.

4. Teach children life skills that build resiliency

When young people learn how to handle and recover from obstacles early in life, it equips them to effectively handle various stressors and difficulties into adulthood. However, presently, the majority of states do not require life skills to be taught in schools.

5. Expand the mental health workforce

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, it typically takes around 11 years for individuals to receive treatment for mental illness after the symptoms first appear. One of the biggest contributing factors to this issue is the scarcity of mental health professionals. To meet projected mental health needs for 2030, today’s mental health workforce must expand by more than a quarter.

Best,

Bill Smith

Read the full Washington Post article Opinion A governor’s playbook for improving youth mental health should catch on.

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