Much has been written about the mental health challenges young people are facing in 2020. The health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in learning, missed milestones, and the racial reckoning in the United States have exacerbated an already existing mental health crisis.
In addition to the great need, there are many barriers to supporting young people's mental health. Yet, young people are often not consulted in designing and allocating mental health services and resources. To have the greatest impact now and in the future, young people’s leadership and lived experience are critical. We must build on what has helped them and invest in what they feel would empower them to change their mental health and their communities' mental health.
Mental Health America’s (MHA’s) new report, Young People’s Mental Health in 2020: Hope, Advocacy, and Action for the Future, shares the perspectives of 1,906 14-24-year-olds who completed our Young People’s Mental Health Survey through our online screening program, MHAScreening.org.