Our young people need our help! Children and teens are seeking support for mental health across the globe. With the difficulties that have come with the pandemic, concerns about social media, natural disasters, climate change and more, it’s no wonder our youth are needing extra support. As a non-profit mental health clinic, Blueskies is dedicated to providing clinical counseling to the young people in our community. We aim to address the individual needs of each child, in addition to addressing the needs and concerns of the caretaker(s). Our highly trained clinicians and interns are equipped to promote positive changes in mental health for our youth and their families. “Just as we need more capacity for psychiatric emergencies in kids, we also need an infusion of knowledge and ordinary strategies to support mental health on the positive side” – Abrams 2023 Apa.org emphasizes the need to integrate supportive services for our youth in order to combat mental health challenges and crises. This expansion of care requires mental health professionals to collaborate with schools, pediatricians, parents, and young people themselves to put protective factors in place. Some recommendations from the article include the following:
- Utilize peer advocates to provide additional support to struggling youth.
- Use Telehealth options to increase the scope of care.
- Provide mental health training to pediatricians so that children’s emotional and behavioral needs can be identified and addressed sooner.
- Equip kids with the tools they need to develop healthy coping mechanisms and emotional management techniques.
- Provide training for parents and caretakers on mental health awareness and how to find the support they need for their child.
To read more about improving youth mental health, visit the APA website here > https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health
A similar body of work is available en Español > https://www.multicare.org/es/vitals/teen-girls-in-crisis-what-parents-can-do/#:~:text=El%20informe%20analiza%20datos%20recientes,elaborado%20un%20plan%20de%20suicidio.