Addressing problems, finding solutions, and uncovering opportunities for future generations

The Problem

• 1 in 5 children ages 13–18 have or will develop a serious mental illness.
• One half of all chronic mental illness begins at age 14; 75% by age 24.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in ages 15–24. (1/4 will develop SUD — substance use dependency).
• Children are more likely to develop depression in adulthood if their symptoms go untreated. The average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is 8–10 years.
• The lack of affordable treatment services, access to insurance, and facilities create a barrier to getting help. 60% of adults (50% of youth ages 8–15) didn’t receive mental health services in the previous year.
• Mental health disorders are the #1 leading cause of disabilities worldwide and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease (SUD may well trump as leading cause of disabilities).
• People with mental illness are at a higher risk for developing other chronic diseases.
• People with addiction SUD or harmful levels of use increase health care cost.
• 26% of homeless adults have serious mental illness and most also have SUD.
• 24% of state prisoners have a serious mental illness and other chronic illness and disease.
• Fetal cannabis exposure increases risk for early onset depression.
• Regular cannabis use during adolescence increases risk of developing anxiety in mid-twenties and persistence neurological defects (decrease in IQ 6–8 points comparable to lead poisoning).

Solutions

• Use digital technology for early intervention without the high cost involved when administered by mental health experts.
• Improve access to integrated health care providers by collaborating between primary care and behavioral health care professionals.
• Identify warning signs, provide regular screenings, and help identify at-risk children, mental health problems and SUD.
• Reduce the stigma associated with mental health and addiction by changing the way we talk about disorders.
• Promote self-advocacy and transparency by providing evidence-based education to people who are either ill equipped or under-educated about alternative health and wellness options.
• Work with schools to provide educational tools and assistance to connect families to the community support they need.
• Provide more effective school-based health services with ability to refer to our services.
• School based health clinics are underutilized.

Opportunities

Promote education, prevention, and intervention

• Early detection of symptoms and easy access to treatment can improve the health and wellbeing of people worldwide and prevent catastrophic results from occurring.
• By creating a sense of individualized agency, earlier detection and testing, treatments could be more effective.
• The sooner help is provided, the more effective the treatment which could prevent bigger problems, other chronic conditions, comorbidity, or complications into adulthood.
• Intervening at the point medical health providers are involved (during detection screening and referring for testing) can lead to faster turnarounds, improved treatment, and cost savings.
• Tracking behavioral health outcomes and results (psychometrically valid/clinically meaningful outcomes) will lead to higher quality of health related strategies and improved management of care. This is currently not happening.
• Promoting personal advocacy and supporting primary care doctors with resources for their patients when they don’t have time to address options, could result in huge savings of unnecessary health care costs. This will happen when behavioral health is integrated with mainstream medical healthcare.