2024 Youth Mental Health Report
Growing up is a challenge on its own, but when you factor in the pressures from social media, incidents of mass violence and various societal issues, the toll on youth's mental well-being becomes increasingly evident. And experts are still working to quantify the added impacts children experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this report is to shed light on this growing problem, help parents know how they can help their kids and understand what support is available for your family.
Tips & Tools for Parents & Caregivers
One of the best things parents can do is know the warning signs their kids may need help, and then intervene as early as possible.
Warning Signs
- Changes in sleeping or eating patterns
- Changes in mood, including outbursts or extreme irritability
- Persistent sadness
- Losing interest in or withdrawing from activities they normally enjoy
- Starting or increasing substance use
- Hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself
- Talking about death or suicide
- Frequent headaches or stomachaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in academic performance
- Avoiding or missing school
How to Talk About Mental Health
We know kids don’t always show signs of mental health concerns and can be good at hiding what they are going through or feeling. That’s why it’s important to have conversations about mental health and ask about their mental health.
Having these conversations normalize mental health for your kids and also clues you into any issues your kids might be experiencing. Download the report for more examples of how to start these conversations with your family.
Screenings
The U.S. Preventive Service Task Force is made of up health professionals and psychologists who evaluate evidence on various preventive health services. The task force now recommends regular anxiety screenings for youth ages 8 to 18 and regular depression screenings for adolescents ages 12 to 18. This can be done with your primary care physician, school counselor or mental health professional.
Getting Help
It’s hard to know when to ask for professional help. If you are wondering if you should seek care for your child, the answer is yes. By the time you are considering this, it is time to seek support. Here is how Burrell can help:
Burrell provides services inside Springfield Public Schools, serving 1,550 kids. This allows kids to receive the necessary treatment while preventing barriers to care such as transportation. As previously stated, 80 percent of kids who receive mental health care receive it in a school setting. This program is vital in providing early intervention and helping kids get the help they need. In addition to mental health benefits, partnerships between schools and community partners have proven to enhance academic success, improve attendance, create a positive school climate, improve discipline rates and increase graduation rates. Learn more here or contact your school’s school counselor to get started.
Sometimes talking to an expert, who can remain objective and provide sound advice and guidance, can be a great launching pad toward progress. We work with children as young as three all the way through adolescent years and can provide individual or family therapy support. Learn more here.
Burrell’s psychiatry team can work with your child to help manage symptoms through medication. The team works closely with your child’s other providers to make sure medications are working well and adjusted as needed over time. Learn more here.
Burrell's youth support services provide community-based services for kids and families with serious emotional disturbances and mental health disorders. We partner with youth, families and various community agencies involved in the family’s life to identify and build on the youth and family’s strengths and supports. We also provide evidence-based interventions, skill-building, access to and coordination with community resources, education about mental health symptoms and treatment, and crisis prevention, response and post-vention. Learn more here.
Our team provides individualized care to help your child overcome substance use concerns and addiction. We offer several levels of care, including residential support. Learn more here.
Eating disorders are real, complex and devastating conditions that have serious consequences for health, productivity and relationships for people of all ages. We offer outpatient services and an intensive outpatient program that is a next step up from standard outpatient care. Learn more here.
When maintaining focus is a challenge, Burrell can help. The ADHD clinic is home to a multidisciplinary treatment team that provides comprehensive evaluations and treatment for children with ADHD. Learn more here.
Getting Started
To get started in care, visit our Get Help page to find a location near you.
If you have a question, email us at info@burrellcenter.com.