A wake-up call for youth mental health

The school year is in full swing – a welcome return to normal after two years of disrupted learning. But there’s nothing routine about the mental health crisis confronting American young people.

Mental health hospitalizations are up 61 percent for children under age 19, according to Clarify Health Institute. The crisis predates COVID-19, but the pandemic certainly hasn’t helped. More than a third of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the pandemic, the CDC reports.

Most troubling of all, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds.

Governors from both sides of the aisle are joining forces to tackle the youth mental health crisis.

Gov. Murphy chose youth mental health as his focused initiative when he became chair of the National Governors Association this summer. As governors, one of our most important and sacred responsibilities is protecting the health and well-being of our state’s children, both physically and mentally.

One of our priorities is equipping parents, teachers, and caregivers with the tools to identify mental health needs and help children get the support they need. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, but many are unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms of mental illness.

New Jersey is working to change that in part by leveraging American Rescue Plan funds to strengthen youth mental health supports — dedicating $55 million to interagency efforts to improve access to services; increase awareness and resilience-building; and provide peer supports, professional development, and training for mental health in communities, in schools, and on college campuses.

Access to care is critical, but it can be a challenge. With school counselors and medical systems overwhelmed, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that only about 20 percent of children experiencing mental health issues receive care. In rural and urban areas alike, mental health professionals are in short supply — especially those specializing in youth mental health — forcing many parents to turn to emergency rooms. Between 1,000 to 5,000 children spend the night in emergency departments every night awaiting mental health care, according to reporting by the New York Times.

States are innovating to fill the gap.

To ensure youth have access to the mental health treatment they need, New Jersey built an integrated Children’s System of Care. By dialing one central number, families can get connected to mental and behavioral health care services, Family Support Organizations, and even 24/7 mobile crisis response units — all at no cost to the family, regardless of their insurance status.

Utah developed the SafeUT app — now present in 90% of schools. Similar to 9-8-8, SafeUT is a free and confidential service that connects students at the touch of a button to licensed counselors within the University of Utah hospital system. In addition to counseling services, the app supports school safety by giving students a safe place to report bullying and threats of violence. Counselors logged over 1 million interactions through the app last year, saving an estimated two lives per day on average.

State after state is implementing similar services — with many requiring student ID cards to include a crisis text line or suicide prevention hotline.

Through COVID relief funds and legislation like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the federal government has committed significant resources toward bolstering state efforts. A variety of grants to states and school districts will fund priorities like: significantly increasing the number of school counselors and other mental health professionals; ensuring children can access mental health care — including school and telehealth options — through Medicaid; training primary care physicians in mental health care fundamentals; addressing childhood trauma; re-engaging students through expanding afterschool and summer activities; improving learning environments; supporting Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and other community resources, and much more.

Congress has also acted to revamp the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The July launch of the service — now accessible via the simplified 9-8-8 number — is a major step forward. Data from the first month of implementation show the volume of calls, texts and chats increased 45 percent compared to the same time last year — an indication that 9-8-8 has been effective in connecting more people with help. Yet the work in standing up 9-8-8 is far from complete. Sustained support and continued federal/state coordination is key to keeping pace with demand and ensuring the lifeline is backed up by local resources best positioned to respond.

The roots of the youth mental health crisis existed before COVID-19, but the pandemic has both exacerbated and highlighted the problem. It’s a wake-up call. Let’s heed the call and get our children the support they need.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy serves as Chair of the National Governors Association, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox serves as Vice Chair of the National Governors Association.