As healthcare stakeholders attempt to stem the youth mental health crisis in America, many have turned to digital health technology. The latest to do so is the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which has launched a statewide endeavor to get behavioral health applications in the hands of youth who need them the most.
Mental healthcare issues among American youth are on the rise. The proportion of high school students experiencing persistent sadness or hopelessness has grown from 28 percent in 2011 to 42 percent in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Further, the percentage of high school students seriously contemplating suicide jumped from 16 percent to 22 percent between 2011 and 2021.
While federal plans to improve mental health outcomes among American children and adolescents are critical, actions at the state level are equally important. In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom launched the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) as part of his Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health. The initiative, a five-year, $4.6 billion effort, aims to create an integrated system to address behavioral health issues and substance use disorders among youth in California.
To expand and ease access to behavioral healthcare, California DHCS launched two mHealth apps targeting different age groups.
The Soluna app, powered by Kooth Digital Health, connects people aged 13 to 25 with resources to support various mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, and bullying.
The app offers self-guided therapeutic content and tools, including journaling prompts, podcasts, self-assessments, and videos; peer support spaces moderated by trained mental health professionals; and professional support through synchronous messaging, drop-in chats, and ongoing coaching. Coaches can communicate in 19 languages, including Spanish.
Read more at mHealthIntelligence.com.
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