America is mobilizing to protect kids’ mental health. Social media and online safety bills are a good start—but California is going the extra mile
Young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, exacerbated by political unrest, school shootings, and climate uncertainty. Yet rising behavioral health costs, a dearth of mental health professionals who can meet the needs, and the destructive effects of social media are exacerbating the youth mental health crisis.
There is a movement underway in Washington, D.C., to introduce legislation to prevent harmful social media content from reaching our children. Senate leadership is considering supporting three online safety bills to protect children from the potentially harmful effects of social media. Among these bills is the Children’s Online Safety Act, which, among other things, would ban social media from posting potentially harmful material about topics like suicide or eating disorders. Politico Report. Others under consideration are said to include an update to the founding regulation of online safety, the Children and Adolescents Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), while another law, the Children Off Social Media Act, would prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing Totally social media.
Research shows that social media has harmful effects on young people’s developing brains. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has repeatedly warned us about the risks Issuing an official advisory And its impact on the mental health of young people
As a clinical psychologist who specializes in moderating content for a behavioral health and wellness platform for youth, this is a welcome start. But it’s also just the beginning. To make a meaningful and lasting impact on this crisis, we must enlist private entities and public organizations (states, boards of education, health departments) to address this problem together.
About 20 million young people — one in five children — in the United States suffer from a mental health condition, According to to EstimatesUnfortunately, only 20% of these people have access to health care – and the lack of access to health care is exacerbated by the high costs and historic doctor shortage we find ourselves in.
A recent study conducted by Brightline and published in JAMA Network Open It found that spending on children’s mental health has increased 31% since 2017, and that children with a mental health condition account for 47% of total pediatric medical spending. In 2021, spending on health care for a child with a mental health condition was associated with a $4,361 increase in total medical spending. For families with a child mental health condition, family health care spending was $2,337 higher, the study found.
Nearly half of Americans They live in areas with a shortage of mental health professionals. Forty-two states have a severe physician shortage, and 70% of US counties do not have children’s mental health providers.
Even with rising health care costs, and assuming one can afford them, what does one do if there are not enough — or even any — clinicians in the area? There are excellent options available through multiple digital behavioral health platforms, some designed specifically for children, teens, and young adults. But in the absence of a public partner, there is the issue of equity and access.
This means that we must address the crisis comprehensively, including supporting the government and education system and collaborating with technology innovators. In California, everyone 25 and under — nearly 13 million children, teens, and young adults — now has free access to two digital mental health and wellness apps (including the one we developed) as part of an ambitious $4.7 billion investment in field of behavior. health. It’s part of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s history Children’s mental health master plan And the Behavioral Health Initiative for Children and Youth (Sibi).
Governor Newsom has made children’s mental health a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda, with a particular focus on ensuring Equal access to marginalized communities who face disproportionate barriers to access. This initiative means every young person in California will get the support they need—exactly when and where they need it. It’s a meaningful and impactful demonstration of commitment to addressing the youth mental health crisis and can serve as a blueprint for other state legislatures, health departments, and boards of education to implement for their own young citizens.
The research is clear: Young people need our help—and they need it now. So what are we waiting for?
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