Building a strong employment pipeline and a mentally resilient workforce means investing in children’s mental health.
75% of mental disorders begin before age 24
We hear a lot about the mental health crisis facing many young workers today and the responsibility of employers to provide meaningful support to overcome these challenges. Although less common, for many of these young people, struggling with mental health issues has been a part of their lives in some way since childhood.
It stands to reason that children won’t magically graduate from mental health issues with high school and college. Today’s students will grow up to be tomorrow’s workers. If we fail to support their mental health when they are young, the need will only increase as they grow older.
So just how serious is the children’s mental health crisis? “It’s not new. It’s been on the rise for years,” says Morgan Stanley Foundation Chair and Child Mental Health Alliance Advisory Board Member says Joanne Steinberg, CEO of. “About 1 in 5 children has a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. Last year, more than 2.7 million young people in the United States experienced severe depression and had a major depressive episode. 60% of young people who experienced it did not receive treatment.
Fortunately, there is hope. I recently connected with Mr. Steinberg to discuss Morgan Stanley’s new $20 million commitment to children’s mental health and how business leaders are taking a proactive approach in this area to protect the future workforce. We talked about whether we could get it. Here’s what we covered:
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Steinberg points to a myriad of factors that contribute to the mental health challenges of today’s children. “Children are struggling to achieve success in school, present their best selves online, meet family expectations, face financial hardship, and enter a job market that is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate. We are facing increasing pressure,” she says. “Furthermore, the pandemic is impacting children’s well-being in a number of ways, including increased screen time, more interactive digital environments, and increased family internet use.”
The scary thing is that 75% of mental health disorders occur in people under the age of 24. “According to the CDC, children who face emotional stress early in life are more likely to have trouble forming healthy relationships as adults and to face complex challenges such as financial hardship and financial hardship. “They may face an increased risk of maintaining employment and facing lifelong depression,” Steinberg says.
The implication is clear. Building a strong employment pipeline and a mentally resilient workforce means investing in children’s mental health.
“If we don’t address these issues, especially early on, they can have huge ramifications for our society,” Steinberg said. “From a business perspective, serious mental illness is estimated to cost the U.S. economy more than $190 billion in revenue.”
But more importantly, lives are lost as a result of these unaddressed struggles. “According to preliminary 2022 data from the CDC, more than 6,000 children and youth ages 10 to 24 died by suicide in 2022,” Steinberg said. “That’s unacceptable. It’s up to all of us to change this trajectory for the better.”
New commitment
Steinberg says raising mentally resilient children provides tools to control their emotions, cope with stress, and understand how their mental state affects their daily lives. I think it is necessary.
“At Morgan Stanley, we are increasing our focus on these causes this year, with a special focus on early intervention and prevention,” she says. “Through the Child Mental Health Alliance, we are helping to build systems that better meet the needs of young people and drive positive change in schools, universities, early education centers and clinics. Our work has benefited more than 37 million children, parents, and educators around the world.”
For parents who play a vital role in supporting their children’s mental health, Steinberg offers two pieces of advice they can implement immediately.
1. Practice active listening.
“Create an environment at home where your children can come to you and feel heard,” she says. “Listening actively and non-judgmentally can help children feel safe raising concerns before they escalate into bigger problems. It also helps parents check in on their children and address issues. We can resolve it and escalate to professional help if necessary.”
2. Lead by example when it comes to your own mental health.
“Listening and encouraging additional healthy habits, such as putting away screens, eating a balanced diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep, can be just as productive as leading by example,” Steinberg urges. Masu. “It may be difficult at times, but if we want to ensure a healthy future for our children, we need to take a step back and look at how we are also ensuring a healthy future for ourselves. .”
Protecting the workforce of the future
If the idea that around 20% of your future workforce will have a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder doesn’t appeal to you, now is the time to start investing in the mental health of your youngest generation .
“Collaboration is essential,” Steinberg says. “We urge other funders and businesses to invest in young people’s mental health and close the significant funding gap. The last few years have made it clear just how dire the situation is. The youth mental health crisis cannot be solved quickly, but it deserves and requires our collective action now.”
This involvement can take many forms, whether you’re starting a new program or seeing how mental health overlaps with the charity and advocacy work you already do. The important thing, says Steinberg, is to take action now.
“Funding for advocacy and philanthropy is essential as we aim to improve early detection and intervention, care and equitable access in mental health, and ultimately secure a brighter future for generations to come.”
Children’s mental health should be an issue that we can all rally around for the benefit of children, communities and the greater economy. Together, we can build a brighter future for generations to come.
