Dr. Josephine Young:
By Dr. Josephine Young
The kids aren’t all right.
In fact, our kids haven’t been OK for a while. The pandemic has exacerbated a growing crisis around youth mental health.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that mental health of teenagers declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roughly 37% of high school students said they had experienced poor mental health during the pandemic and 44 % said they felt persistently hopeless or sad during the past year.
Even before the arrival of COVID-19, 36 % of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, according to the CDC. A 2022 report issued by Mental Health America, a leading nonprofit, found that more than 60 % of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.
As a pediatrician and parent, this is heartbreaking. Often stigma prevents teens from talking about or seeking treatment for a mental health condition. But we must talk about mental health, and we must normalize it. If we don’t, our kids can endure a lifetime of trauma, shame and isolation.
For parents and caregivers, knowing where to start to help the teens in their lives can seem daunting. One of the best first steps is to have a conversation, and often kids will confide in a trusted adult. That could be a teacher, neighbor, coach, religious leader or family member. You don’t know when a child or teen will open up and to whom. As adults, we need to be there for those moments by staying connected and creating safe spaces for real conversations
After having the conversation, knowing how to find help isn’t always easy. A good place to start is with your pediatrician or primary care provider. They can help provide a safe space for teens to open up about how they are feeling and what’s occurring in their lives. They can also help determine if physical health issues could be linked to mental health concerns or conditions. It is also critical to lay out a path for youth to participate in their treatment plan. Being empowered in their own health care helps ensure they engage in their treatment.
Once concerns are shared and a need for counseling is confirmed, the next step is establishing timely care with an appropriate therapist. However, it can be a hard task for families to find a local therapist who is a personality fit with the right clinical expertise or has availability that matches their schedule. These hurdles frequently keep these patients from the mental health care that is needed, sometimes leading to emergency care in crisis.
Talking with a therapist is an individual experience and everyone’s needs are met differently. Being able to talk to someone who understands your background and culture or looks like you is significant. Many people feel that having to educate a therapist on their perspective and lived experience is an added weight that doesn’t feel worth it. This is a real problem that’s worsened by a lack of options in clinicians. This is where your primary care provider can be extremely helpful as they can provide recommendations and guidance to find a good fit.
Reducing the time between a young person asking for help and getting into treatment, along with broadening provider options, can help break down the barriers to accessing quality care. When a young person finally works up the courage to go forward with therapy, you have to meet them where they’re at or you might lose them.
Integrating mental health services into primary care clinics is one way to help shorten the amount of time it takes to meet with a clinician. With therapists on-site, a pediatrician can promptly connect kids with them in a familiar setting. This collaborative approach can ultimately lead to better overall health outcomes, too, because mental health and physical health are two halves of the whole health of an individual.
Virtual therapy can open many doors when it comes to access. For many, it’s a faster and more convenient option. Kids don’t have to worry about transportation to and from appointments. They can talk to someone when it works for them and from wherever they are comfortable – whether it’s their bedroom or a friend’s house. It also offers more opportunities to find the right fit, especially for children who can’t easily find a therapist in their area who looks like them or they see as relatable.
There are several nonprofit organizations in Spokane County that can help provide mental health services. For example, YWCA Spokane offers support services focused on supporting youth who have experienced complex trauma.
Taking that first step to talk about mental health is the most single important one. If a kid in your life says, “I think I need help,” then ask them, “What can I do to help?” Those simple words can make an amazing difference in the life of a teen.
Dr. Josephine Young is medical director Premera Blue Cross in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, and member of Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward’s Mental Health Task Force.