The poor mental health status can cause suffering for children and adolescents

To coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10th, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) jointly released the Guidelines for Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents on Wednesday, aiming to drive transformative changes in mental health services for young people.

Estimates suggest that approximately one in seven children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 globally experience mental health issues, with anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders being the most common. One-third of mental health disorders emerge before the age of 14, and half by the age of 18. Therefore, early intervention is crucial for helping children and adolescents thrive and reach their full potential.

Shortages in mental health services for children and adolescents

The report highlights that despite the substantial demand, access to mental health services for children and adolescents remains inadequate. Most adolescents facing mental health issues often fail to receive the necessary support due to systemic barriers such as service shortages, high costs, and stigma. Public funding and human resources for mental health services are generally lacking worldwide, particularly in middle- and low-income countries.

Dr. Dévora Kestel, Director of the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, emphasized, "We must take action to ensure that everyone can access and afford evidence-based and age-appropriate mental health interventions."

Building community-based mental health service systems

Supporting the mental health of children and adolescents requires collective efforts from all sectors of society. The released service guidelines outline various models of mental health services for children and adolescents, providing successful global practices as examples, aiming to show that even with limited resources, countries can still provide high-quality mental health services.

The guidelines also point out that millions of children with mental health disorders worldwide are housed in institutional care, even though they could live at home. This practice not only violates international human rights frameworks but also worsens their health status and social outcomes. The guidelines call for the gradual abolition of institutional care in favor of community services, allowing children to grow up in families and communities, ensuring continuity in their education, social relationships, and overall development.

Roadmap for driving mental health service transformation

These service guidelines provide policymakers, health service planners, and mental health professionals with a set of clear standards, offering a roadmap for improving existing services and developing new ones. The focus is on collaborative service design, prioritizing talent development, strengthening collaborative care practices, and enhancing transparency in decision-making and accountability in services.

Through these measures, countries can significantly eliminate key barriers preventing children and adolescents from accessing mental health services, significantly improving their mental health conditions.