Written By Introduction: From Awareness to Action
When Dr. Jerome Adams became the 20th U.S. Surgeon General in September of 2017, he knew that one of his top priorities would be adolescent mental health. In a recent op-ed, Dr. Adams wrote about how he himself struggled with anxiety and depression as a teenager and how it took him years to seek treatment. He knows all too well the importance of addressing mental health issues early on.
The good news is that there has been a growing awareness of adolescent mental health issues in recent years. In fact, the National Institutes of Health recently released a report detailing how mental health disorders can begin to manifest during adolescence and young adulthood.
However, awareness is not enough. We need to take action to ensure that our adolescents are getting the help they need. That’s why Dr. Adams has made it his mission to bring attention to adolescent mental health and to make sure that resources are available for those who need them.
In his op-ed, Dr. Adams discusses some of the steps we can take to move from awareness to action on adolescent mental health:
1) We need to open up the conversation about mental health and break the stigma around seeking help.
2) We need to make sure that there are adequate resources available for adolescents struggling with mental health issues. This includes access to quality care, early intervention services, and suicide prevention resources.
3) We need to educate parents, teachers, and other adults who work with
The Surgeon General’s Vision for Adolescent Mental Health
The Surgeon General’s Vision for Adolescent Mental Health is to ensure that all young people are able to reach their full potential as productive, healthy adults. To this end, the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) is leading the effort to promote adolescent mental health and well-being through a variety of initiatives.
One such initiative is the National Strategy on Suicide Prevention, which aims to reduce suicide rates among adolescents and young adults. The strategy focuses on four key areas: strengthening protective factors, promoting early intervention and treatment, supporting postvention efforts, and reducing access to lethal means.
In addition, the OAH is working to increase awareness of adolescent mental health issues through its #BeThere campaign. The campaign encourages adults to be there for teens by listening without judgment, offering support, and connecting them to resources if needed.
The OAH is also partnering with states and communities across the country to implement school-based mental health programs. These programs provide comprehensive services to students, including screenings, counseling, and referral services. By making mental health services more accessible in schools, we can help more adolescents get the care they need before problems escalate.
Finally, the OAH is working to improve data collection on adolescent mental health so that we can better understand the scope of the problem and identify effective interventions. For example, the National Youth Mental Health Survey will collect data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents on a range of mental health topics. This information will be used
How the Surgeon General’s Vision is Making a Difference
The United States Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, has made it his mission to improve the mental health of America’s adolescents. In September 2018, he released a National Call to Action on Adolescent Mental Health, which outlined his vision for how the nation can better support the mental health of young people.
Since the release of the National Call to Action, Dr. Adams has been working to raise awareness of adolescent mental health and promote access to mental health services for young people. He has met with young people, educators, healthcare providers, and policymakers to discuss ways to improve adolescent mental health. He has also spoke publicly about the need for more action on adolescent mental health, urging adults to “listen to our kids and take their mental health seriously.”
Dr. Adams’ efforts are already making a difference. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its first-ever Strategic Plan for Adolescent Health, which includes a goal to reduce the prevalence of adolescent mental illness by 2025. This goal is supported by a number of initiatives aimed at improving adolescent mental health, including expanding access to mental health services and increasing research on effective interventions.
The Surgeon General’s vision for adolescent mental health is making a difference by raising awareness of the issue and promoting actions that will improve the mental health of young people across the country.
Conclusion
The Surgeon General’s vision for adolescent mental health has had a lasting impact on the way that we think about young people and their well-being. By focusing on raising awareness of mental health issues, as well as encouraging individuals to take action to seek help, this campaign has made it easier for families and healthcare providers alike to recognize signs of distress in adolescents early. We are grateful for the leadership and advocacy provided by the Surgeon General’s office in helping give adolescents the support they need when facing difficult times.
