RHYTTAC Youth Mental Health Resource

The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) and the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) have developed a resource on the Safe, Supportive & Responsive Approaches to Youth Mental Health.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health challenges among youth have been rising steadily for many years. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between 2009 to 2019, the proportion of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, those seriously considering attempting suicide increased by 36%, and the share creating a suicide plan increased by 44%. Since the pandemic began, rates of psychological distress among young people, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges have increased significantly. Recent research from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) covering 80,000 youth globally, identified a substantial continual decline in youth mental health. The study found that depressive and anxiety symptoms doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms. In the U.S., this crisis has prompted a U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory regarding youth mental health and increased resources directed towards prevention and intervention.

Programs serving youth experiencing homelessness have also identified a significant increase in both the number and intensity of youth mental health needs over the past two years. Across regions, youth are experiencing high rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, and programs often support youth through situations of intense crisis. Responding to the urgent mental health needs of youth experiencing homelessness requires us to look at practices and policies to ensure that they are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and youth-led. This resource was developed to provide practical strategies and resources to support youth mental health through prevention, crisis intervention, and restorative practices.

Access the Resource here: 
https://www.rhyttac.net/assets/docs/Resources/Safe%2C%20Supportive%20%26%20
Responsive%20Approaches%20to%20Youth%20Mental%20Health%20%281%29.pdf

Different Mental Health Outcomes for Runaway versus Other Homeless Youth

Researchers examined data from nearly 69,000 students taking the Minnesota Student Survey in 2016 in order to explore the extent to which mental health outcomes vary among unstably housed youth, youth who run away, and unaccompanied homeless youth. Published in March 2020 in Pediatrics, findings indicated that youth who run away are at increased risk for poor mental health compared to other young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. The study reinforces the idea that subgroups of homeless youth have distinct needs and may benefit from more targeted interventions.

Read the full article here: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/03/05/peds.2019-2674

Engaging Youth in a Shelter-based Mental Health Services

An article published in February 2020 in BMC Health Services Research describes a project at Night Ministry to provide on-site mental health services to sheltered young adults. The study examined engagement patterns and presenting issues for 77 young people, whose average age was 19, who accessed services between October 2016 and June 2018. Findings suggest that engaging homeless youth in ongoing treatment is challenging – the average number of sessions was three, with a sharp decline in engagement after youth’s first session – and that issues youth consider pressing vary from those presented by case managers.

Read the full study here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-4953-9

Rural Community Health Toolkits

The Rural Health Information Hub has over 20 toolkits that include evidence-based research, promising programs, evaluation tools, and resources addressing a number of issues affecting rural communities. Toolkit topics include food access, care coordination, disability and accessibility, mental health, disease prevention, substance use, suicide prevention, telehealth, and transportation. Each toolkit contains links to example program models from across the country, links to data collection methods, links to examples of communication strategies and more. The toolkits offer step-by-step guides on identifying needs, planning and implementation, evaluation, and dissemination.

Access all of the toolkits here: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits

Improving the Mental Health of Homeless Youth

The Center for Mental Health Services recently released Addressing Intersecting Social and Mental Health Needs Among Transition-aged Homeless Youth, the latest in a series on improving mental health care services that reviews literature on social and mental health needs of RHY. Authors concluded that briefer interventions that use mobile applications and invite users to engage rather than asking users to initiate contact are more successful with homeless youth. According to research, homeless youth want mental health services, and are especially engaged with programs that address interpersonal difficulties, emotion regulation, and trauma.

Download the paper here: https://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/TAC_Paper_10_508C_1.pdf