While we continue to make strides towards visibility, tolerance, and true equality, there is still so much more to be done for the LGBTQ+ community, especially young people.
Young people today face incredible stress and anxiety about everything. Between political fears about their identity, the weight of global insecurity and injustice, and the uncertainty of their personal futures and fulfillment, it is a trying time for young people today.
We all seem to agree that the youth mental health landscape is in an unprecedented crisis. Whether the cause is social media or the long-term effects of isolation associated with a global pandemic, we generally agree that something needs to be done. But meaningful change often feels distant and even unattainable at times. For those who can access treatment, the pathway to treatment is inefficient. A shortage of behavioral health clinicians often means people have to wait weeks or months for their first appointment. Costs continue to rise, creating new barriers to improving their mental health.
Shutterstock Creative
Simply put, not enough is being done when it comes to young people’s mental health, and especially when it comes to the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people.
Real change and lasting impact can only happen if we work together, and in this case, that happens through public-private partnerships. Government agencies, education systems, and technology innovators must work together to provide free and equitable mental health solutions to everyone, especially marginalized communities.
The Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide among the LGBTQ+ community, recently2024 National Survey on Mental Health of LGBTQ+ YouthThe results are dire: 39% of LGBTQ+ young people have seriously considered suicide in the past year, with rates even higher for LGBTQ+ young people of color compared to white young people; 12% have attempted suicide; and 46% of non-binary and transgender young people surveyed have considered suicide. Most suicide attempts are related to bullying, with 49% of LGBTQ+ 13-17 year olds having been bullied in the past year.
And even among those who wanted help, 50% of those who sought mental health care did not receive it in the past year.
It’s estimated that 20 million young people in the United States, or one in five, have a mental illness, but only 20% of them receive treatment. Many researchers believe this number is even higher, as there are numerous barriers to treatment, from social stigma to lack of access and cost.
Fortunately, there are great options for people seeking care through digital behavioral health platforms, many of which are designed specifically for children, teens, and young adults who have different needs than adults. But accessing these tools requires knowledge of the platform, the device to access it, and all the costs involved. In other words, without a public partner, there is a risk that help will not reach marginalized communities, often those who need it most.
Shutterstock
We need equity in both recognition and access, which requires a comprehensive approach that brings together governments and education systems with private sector technology innovators to build solutions.
California is a great example of how to make these partnerships work. An estimated 13 million children, teens and young adults now have free access to two digital mental health and wellness apps as part of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s groundbreaking $4.7 billion investment in behavioral health.Everyone under 25 years old You can access the following apps:SolnaAges 13-25,Bright Life Kids For children under the age of 12 (and their families and caregivers). Newsom has made a huge commitment to youth mental health.Equitable access to marginalized communitiesThrough our Master Plan for Children’s Mental Health and Child and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, we will support those who face disproportionate barriers to access.
California’s work could serve as a blueprint for other states, counties, and school boards to develop meaningful and impactful efforts to address the youth mental health crisis.
The time to act is now.
Young people need our support today more than ever, and LGBTQ+ young people need steadfast allies to ensure their mental health is protected and strengthened. There’s no better time than today to take action.
Beth Pausick, PhD, Psy.D.is a clinical psychologist and oversees clinical quality and excellence. Koos Digital Healthis an adolescent behavioral health platform accessible to 16 million people worldwide. Prior to Kooth, Dr. Pausic served as Director of Behavioral Health at hims & hers. Her experience prior to working at TV Behavioral Health includes over 15 years as a clinical manager and provider in a variety of clinical settings. In her clinical work, she focused primarily on anxiety, depression, and relationships. Dr. Pausic earned her PhD from George Washington University.
voice We are dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and influential voices from the LGBTQ+ and allied community. For more information on submission guidelines, visit Advocate.com/submit. We welcome your comments and feedback on our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Opinions expressed in Voices stories are those of our guest writers, columnists and editors and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.
