Congress must address the youth mental health crisis! When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information. SIGN NOW

Dear Friend,

Last year, 42% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, while 29% reported experiencing poor mental health. [1] This is a national crisis!

While we are delighted that President Biden announced steps to improve access to mental health care, we still need Congress to act! [2]

Quick signature: Tell Congress to address the mental health crisis for our youth across the United States! When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.

What’s happening? The mental health crisis among children and adolescents was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it also highlighted the vulnerability of the mental health safety net system. It’s absolutely clear that the need for mental health screening, diagnostics, and evidence-based therapeutic services for families and children from infancy through adolescence is greater than ever. However, the United States was already failing to meet these needs even before the pandemic, especially for youth of color. [1] 

But have no fear! There’s a way to change this issue so that our children’s mental health has a brighter future. Let’s urge Congress to act to address the youth mental health crisis. 

Sign on! Life-saving and life-sustaining measures should be readily available to children and their families. Click here to tell Congress to act now to address the youth mental health crisis!

From infants to teenagers, their social-emotional wellbeing and mental health has the potential to set them on a positive trajectory for success in school and life. 10-16% of very young children experience mental health conditions, and those numbers are even higher (22%!) for babies in poverty. [3] Yet we know that by giving children the support they need early in life it benefits children, families, and communities. We can and must do better. 

Family dysfunction, school expulsion, poor academic performance, school disengagement, juvenile detention, substance use disorder, unemployment, and suicide are all consequences associated with untreated and undiagnosed mental and behavioral health disorders. [4] These conditions can be further amplified with racial and economic disparities. [5] Thus, we must urge lawmakers to ensure no one is left behind in this mental health crisis and that they are readily able to access the treatment they need!

*Sign on now! Tell Congress to address the youth mental health crisis! When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to our petition that says:

Dear Member of Congress,

Everyone should have access to mental health services they need, especially our youth. We urge you to address the crisis that our children are facing. 

To effectively address the ongoing crisis in child and adolescent mental and behavioral health, a coordinated and sustained approach is necessary for the well-being of our country. Collaboration among federal agencies is also essential in establishing a comprehensive system of care to address mental and behavioral health needs for infants, children, and adolescents across the continuum. Specifically, they should include the following principles: 

• Accessibility: Mental health services should be accessible to everyone who needs them, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status.
• Inclusivity: Outreach programs should be inclusive of diverse communities, taking into account factors like language, culture, and identity.
• Collaboration: Mental health outreach efforts should be collaborative, involving a range of stakeholders, including mental health professionals, community organizations, and government agencies.
• Evidence-based: Outreach efforts should be grounded in evidence-based practices that are proven to be effective in supporting mental health.
• Person-centered: Mental health services should be tailored to meet the individual needs and preferences of each person, recognizing that mental health is a complex and multifaceted issue.

To truly ensure our children and families are able to get the treatment they need when they have mental health issues, we need your support. We urge you to take action to address the mental health crisis!

Don’t forget to sign on! Our nation can be in a significantly better place if our youth are taken care of. Lives are at stake. We cannot continue to have a mental health crisis for our children and families. We need Congress to take action!

The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share our action link on social media: 

Together we are a powerful voice for the health of families.

- Tasmiha, Felicia, Donna, and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team

P.S. Do you or someone you know have trouble accessing mental health services for your children or teenagers? Please share your story with us!

References: 
[1] CDC, YRBS Data Summary & Trends https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/yrbs_data_summary_and_trends.htm
[2] The White House, Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Tackle Nation’s Mental Health Crisis https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/18/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-tackle-nations-mental-health-crisis/
[3] ZERO TO THREE, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health https://www.zerotothree.org/issue-areas/infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health/.
[4] US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Behavioral Health Workforce Report 2022. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/behavioral-health-workforce-report.pdf 
[5] Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health Principles, CAMH, https://www.camhcoalition.org/our-work/camhprinciples2023

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