The report ‘Mental health of children and young people: Orientation of services’ presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) within the framework of World Mental Health Day that has place every October 10 estimates that approximately one in seven children and adolescents between 10 and 19 years old suffers from some type of mental disorder, the most common being anxiety, depression and behavioral problems.
The report also highlights that approximately a third of these mental disorders manifest before the age of 14 and half before the age of 18. The objective of this report is to promote the improvement of mental health services focused on children and adolescents, emphasizing on the importance of intervening early to help young people reach their full potential.
“We must take action to ensure that evidence-based, age-appropriate interventions are available and affordable for all,” said Dévora Kestel, Director of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use at WHO. Kestel also stressed that “all countries, regardless of their circumstances, can do something to significantly improve the mental health of their children and young people and their families.”
Improve access to mental health services
Despite the growing need for action, access to mental health services remains limited. Most young people who present with worrying symptoms do not receive adequate care, due to barriers such as a shortage of services, the high cost of treatment and persistent stigma, which makes it difficult for them to ask for help.
Additionally, at a global level, the financial and human resources allocated to mental health services are insufficient, especially when it comes to services for children and adolescents, a deficiency that is much more relevant in the case of low- and middle-income countries.
The report highlights that attention to the mental health of children and adolescents must be a joint effort. Although there is no single model applicable to all contexts, the report presents global examples that show what is possible to achieve in different circumstances.
“It is crucial to integrate health systems, education, social protection and community support to create a comprehensive network of mental health services for young people”
“We cannot address the mental health and well-being of children, adolescents and their families in isolation. It is crucial to integrate health systems, education, social protection and community support to create a comprehensive network of mental health services for young people,” said Fouzia Shafique, UNICEF Associate Director of Health.
The report also denounces that millions of children with mental health problems are institutionalized worldwide, despite having families. This practice, he points out, violates their human rights and generates negative results both in their health and in their social development.
Therefore, in the document they advocate gradually eliminating institutionalized care, promoting instead community-based services that allow children to grow with their families, facilitating the continuity of their education, social relationships and personal development. “It is our collective responsibility to prioritize their mental health as part of the overall well-being of children and adolescents,” concludes Shafique.
