This educational idea can take on a youth mental health crisis

A new academic focus in America on the problem holds promise

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Last year saw a stream of dismal headlines about kids' mental health. Children and teens in the US are struggling with higher levels of depression and anxiety. Rates of suicides and eating disorders are on the rise. Now there's reason to be hopeful: An experiment in Oregon could point the way to a novel solution.

Much of the last two years was spent trying to analyse the root cause of alarming statistics rather than discussing what to do about them, though there has been some positive change. New guidelines recommending widespread screening for childhood anxiety and depression were a good start, and so was the Biden administration's investment in helping connect families to behavioural and health services. Several states have expanded training for educators and improved access to telehealth.

These cannot completely address the fundamental problem: The number of kids who need help exceeds the number of available mental health providers. The paediatric mental health workforce hasn't expanded despite ever-growing demand.

A 2019 study that used US National Survey of Children's Health data found that about half of the kids with a mental health disorder did not receive treatment. The shortfall is likely even worse now.