Teen Mental Health

Mental Health Matters

In 2016, JHF looked at the indicators of health among teens in the U.S. and determined that our nation was at the bottom of all developed countries for mental health outcomes. JHF mobilized health systems, providers, parents, community organizations, and youth themselves to strengthen the safety net for teen mental health through advocacy, collaboration, and investments in communities.

During the pandemic, rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems got even worse among young people in the United States. Perhaps the most distressing reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated nearly 20 percent of high school students surveyed said they’d considered suicide during the prior 12 months.

In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital declared a national emergency in child and teen mental health. Two months later, the US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health.

Through youth-led advocacy efforts and strategic partnerships advanced by JHF, access to mental health services and support for youth in Allegheny County and across Pennsylvania has expanded, including newly introduced legislation, an advocacy action guide to activate youth as change agents, the opening of community-based teen spaces for mental health seeded with JHF support, and continued collaborative work and learning with youth-serving organizations.