Tim Barker is CEO of Kooth Digital Health, an innovator and pioneer in youth-focused digital mental health.
Never in modern history has it been more important to give youth and teens access to tools to help their mental health and well-being. Young people today face unparalleled stressors amid a rapidly evolving world full of uncertainty and day-to-day stressors of peer pressure, body image, complex family relationships, uncertainty over one’s own identity or future and more.
In an article titled, “America’s Mental Health Crisis,” the author cites a report in JAMA Health Forum noting 38% more people are in mental health care since the start of the pandemic and a CNN/Kaiser Family Foundation poll revealing that 90% of Americans feel we’re in a mental health crisis. What’s just as troubling about this crisis isn’t just its current ramifications, but the future it jeopardizes if left unaddressed. This loss extends beyond tragic suicides; it encompasses future mental health illnesses, missed educational opportunities and reduced productivity at work.
There are important implications for businesses: Depression among employees accounts for a 35% reduction in productivity, contributes to a loss of $210.5 billion a year to the U.S. economy in the form of productivity loss, medical costs and absenteeism, and results in an average of 31.4 missed days of work per year.
These are statistics that business leaders can’t overlook.
A Look At The Data
A 2023 study by Mental Health America noted that while 2.7 million youths experienced depression, nearly 60% received no treatment. This is often due to stigma, shortages in mental health services and professionals, high cost and more. And approximately 1 in 5 young people in the U.S. have a mental health condition, but only 20% receive care.
Skyrocketing costs and a clinician shortage further exacerbate the critical issue of care access. Another recent study found that spending on pediatric mental health is up 45% from 2017 to 2021 and accounted for nearly 47% of pediatric medical expenditures. Many states have a clinician shortage, and data from 2007 and 2016 shows 70% of U.S. counties didn’t have pediatric mental health providers.
And while young people were already struggling prior to the pandemic, the number of young people between the ages 12 and 25 receiving antidepressants has increased 63.5% faster since the Covid-19 outbreak in the United States in March 2020. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 19.5% (or 4.8 million people) had a major depressive episode in 2022.
Our current response to this crisis falls short. I think we must address it comprehensively through government and educational system support, along with collaboration with tech innovators. Conventional mental health services alone cannot tackle the scale and complexity of our challenges, nor are there enough clinicians to do so.
A fundamental shift in approach is imperative. Our youth can’t do it alone, and neither can we.
Public-Private Partnerships
Robust public-private partnerships offering equitable, resilience-building mental health solutions are necessary. This helps ensure that solutions are accessible to everyone, preventing marginalized communities without adequate support from being excluded.
Reports like those from the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and Grey Matter Capital highlight significant opportunities for mental health technology companies to develop and scale leading products and services.
At Kooth, we have a public-private partnership in California with the aim to ensure access to mental health services for young people across the state through access to our mental health app. We’ve learned that the primary reason young people engage on our platform is that they’re looking to connect with others who have experienced something similar to what they’re going through. In other words, they want to know they’re not in it alone.
Best Practices For Creating Effective Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have long been an effective approach to providing a wide range of social services and public transportation, but they can also come with complexities. With extensive experience in collaborating with public entities, we’ve found the most effective partnerships involve a combination of shared objectives, strategic planning, clear communication and progress monitoring. Here are some best practices to consider when engaging in PPPs:
1. Seek out partners with similar goals and priorities. With our partnership, for example, mental health is a pillar of the governor’s administration. Look for a true champion for behavioral healthcare and health equity when forming a partnership.
2. Build an inclusive solution. Demographics and needs vary from state to state, county to county, and city to city. Make sure your solution is based on solid research and offers helpful and applicable tools and content, regardless of one’s geographic location.
3. Cast a wide net. For example, our partner interviewed hundreds of students and young adults, along with parents and caregivers over two years before launching our partnership. A youth advisory council provided recommendations on the design, content and functionality of the solutions to ensure our partnership would benefit as many young people as possible.
4. Prioritize clear communications. Since there are often several team members involved with PPPs and many rules and regulations to follow, it’s essential to establish roles and responsibilities, and define protocols for approval processes to efficiently move activities forward.
5. Evaluate progress. Setting goals and regularly analyzing progress helps keep the project on schedule and enables the team to make adjustments to the strategy or projected goals if necessary, ultimately increasing the chances of a successful outcome.
While every PPP has different criteria, these best practices can serve as a foundation for creating a strong partnership that delivers desirable results.
I think we owe it to the younger generation to equip them with the tools they need to shape a better world. No one should have to do it alone.
The information provided here is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice concerning your specific situation.
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