Weitzman Institute reposted this
In their new Forefront article, Wildaline Figaro, Jessica McCann, and Tonantzin Juarez from the Weitzman Institute explore the potential role that community health workers (CHWs) can play in addressing the youth mental health crisis, summarize existing issues, and offer policy recommendations. "We are experiencing a youth mental health crisis, as illustrated by countless studies. The 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 25.8 percent of children ages 3–17 have a reported mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem, yet only about half of children with an issue received treatment or counseling. Additionally, suicide rates among adolescents increased by 48 percent between 2011 and 2021, with disproportionately high increases among Black youth. Adolescents experiencing stigma, discrimination, and few social supports and services are at an even higher risk of mental health issues. These trends are not surprising given that many adolescents faced reductions in access to social supports, as well as primary and mental health services, during pandemic-related transitions to virtual schooling. Failing to address mental health issues during adolescence has consequences well into adulthood, affecting both physical and mental health and limiting a child’s opportunity to lead a fulfilling adult life." Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3USsz58
