When mental health conditions are treated early, it can save lives and vastly improve outcomes for individuals. NAMI believes that all youth should be able to access high-quality mental health care in a timely and affordable manner. NAMI’s Trends in State Policy: Youth Mental Health shows how state policymakers and advocates can address this issue through effective legislation.
This issue brief highlights state legislation passed in 2023 that helps improve youth mental health care and support and includes policy recommendations that may be implemented in states across the country in the following key categories:
- Access to Care
- Mental Health Workforce in Schools
- Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Training
- School Policies
- System Coordination and Planning
Conclusion
The youth mental health crisis continues to be an urgent concern nationwide, with one-third of adolescents experiencing poor mental health. Every youth and young adult deserves access to mental health care that meets their needs, at the earliest time possible. We encourage state policymakers to learn from one another and to consider the policy recommendations in this issue brief, using featured legislation as examples, to improve youth mental health in their states.
