Why do we have dedicated services for youth mental health?
Why do we focus so much on youth mental health? And why do youth need their own services? It’s obviously a big deal since Canada recently poured over $500 million of federal funds into establishing the Youth Mental Health Fund with the goal of supporting communities, organizations, and other stakeholders in providing mental health services and support for young people.
Statistically, youth aged 12-25 represent a quarter of the global population; in Canada, that is roughly 7.5 million people. And mental health challenges are the number one health challenge facing this demographic. In 2023 alone, 1.6 million Canadian youth were affected by mental illness.
Addressing youth mental health is crucial not only for individual wellbeing but also for societal benefits, such as a reduced strain on families, healthcare, and social systems. However, despite high demand, access to mental health services for young people remains inadequate, leading to severe consequences like lifelong disabilities, decreased quality of life, and economic losses.
Ask yourself: if you were struggling with mental health challenges, would you know where to turn for help?
Young people should be able to recognize the need for help, know where to seek it, and have prompt access to appropriate care. At the systems level, services must be accessible, affordable, confidential, culturally sensitive, and developmentally appropriate. Developing evidence-based psychosocial interventions and reforming existing systems to deliver timely services to youth remains a pressing need globally that has yet to be sufficiently addressed.
Over the last decades, there has been a push to transform, invest in, and scale-up dedicated mental health services for young people. Through these efforts, we have begun to better understand youth mental health needs and services while also finding ways to refine the system for improved outcomes. Below, I outline the case for dedicated youth mental health services from two perspectives: first, from the individual young person; and second, from the healthcare system.
(I) Youth: A period of change and development
Youth is a critical period of maturation, marked by a transition from childhood to adulthood. While definitions vary, the most widely accepted age range for youth is 12-25. During this time, young people experience a convergence of neurodevelopmental, genetic, biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors that significantly influence their mental health. For instance, the limbic system of the brain, responsible for emotional regulation, matures during mid-adolescence, whereas the prefrontal cortex governing executive functions like decision making and calculating risks, matures later. It’s like having the engine running on full speed without fully functional breaks. This developmental mismatch leads to difficulties in rational thinking and emotional regulation, making young people more susceptible to developing mental health disorders.
Moreover, this period is marked by significant social and personal growth: this includes educational achievements, vocational pursuits, and the formation of important relationships like first sexual experiences and belonging to a friend group. These changes, coupled with recent global challenges like pandemics and economic instability, further complicate the mental health landscape for youth.
(II) Systems level: Barriers to adequate care
Despite the prevalence of mental health issues among youth, many do not seek or receive adequate care. One major barrier to this is the harsh transition from pediatric to adult services at age 18. This often leads to a lack of continuity of care at precisely the time when developmentally appropriate clinical care is most essential. Moreover, traditional adult mental health services deal with more severe and well-established forms of mental disorders, which makes them ill-equipped to address the emerging mental health issues of young people when they do seek care.
What’s more, while these services primarily address mental health issues and distress, they don’t cover other crucial aspects of the life of a young person like sexual health, employment, or housing needs. Therefore, rather than having young people adapt to these systems, systems should instead be tailored to fit the needs of young people and their families.
Towards dedicated youth mental health services
To date, there has been a shift towards integrated, community-based mental health services for those aged 12-25 thanks to the growing recognition of the unique needs of young people. These services were designed with a focus on early intervention and prevention, powered by multidisciplinary teams working together in an integrated primary care model. In Quebec, these centres are called Aire ouverte – meaning “open space” in French – and they are located throughout the province (find the one nearest to you here). These mental and physical health services are built by young people for young people and focus on improving outcomes, experiences, and continuity of care. Advice about school, work, housing or information about legal and financial aid is also provided on site. Consult their full range of services here. Youth mental health centers similar to Aire ouverte can be found worldwide. For instance, in Australia, they are known as headspace, and in Ireland, they are called Jigsaw.
Research and service evaluations have highlighted the effectiveness of these models, emphasizing the need for accessibility, acceptability, equitability, appropriateness, efficacy, and youth engagement. A key objective of such integrated youth mental health systems is to improve both short- and long-term health outcomes of young people. Overall, youth services should ensure they embody the WHO principles of youth-friendliness: “the right place, at the right time, at the right price, in the right style“.
The right place, at the right time, at the right price, in the right style
Taken Together
All young people deserve optimal mental health as they transition into adulthood. Hopefully, I’ve convinced you that reforming healthcare systems to better meet the needs of this unique population is essential. Dedicated youth mental health services offer a promising solution, but continuous evaluation and youth involvement are crucial for their ongoing success. At the Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health in Montreal, we are committed to tackling these challenges. I invite you to check out our portfolio of research and training opportunities to see how you can help advance knowledge and care for all young people.
One thing is certain: investing in youth mental health is an investment in our collective future.
By Kristin Davis