Biological factors like hormone changes, life events like death of a family member or school failure and social stigma are just some of the many reasons youth may be in crisis.
They may also be involved in armed conflict, either as victims or perpetrators of violence and destruction. They are often a neglected group who deserve support and care.
1. Identifying the Youth in Crisis
Youth need a safe environment to grow and develop into healthy adults. If they don’t receive the support they need, they may turn to dangerous behaviors. Behavioral addictions, like gambling or shopping; running away from home without telling parents (and placing themselves in potentially unsafe situations); or sexual promiscuity, can all be signs of a mental health crisis.
The reality is that large numbers of youth are unable to access community resources they need to stay healthy and cope with crisis. This can be seen by the fact that, from 2010 to 2021, depression and suicide rates rose steadily for all youths, but were even more pronounced among Black youth. Increasing access to community services, such as social connection opportunities through clubs and playing sports, as well as vocational training, employment support, and boosting small businesses, are essential in both normal times and during crises. This can help to address the roots of this mental health crisis and help set youth up for long-term success.
2. Assessing the Youth’s Needs
In crisis situations, young people are particularly vulnerable both economically and socially. This is exacerbated when their education, training and employment programmes are disrupted and when their family and community networks disintegrate.
To ensure that interventions are targeted, it is critical to identify youth who may be at risk of engaging in antisocial behaviour and then provide them with the appropriate intervention. Using identification tools that help to screen for various risk factors is an effective way to do this.
The Problem-Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) is a screening tool designed to identify youth with potential problems in one or more of ten areas of psychosocial functioning and who require a more thorough assessment. It can be used by school personnel, juvenile and family court staff, health care providers and substance use disorder treatment programs.
This tool focuses on identifying the strengths and protective factors in youth’s lives, so that these can be reinforced through targeted interventions. It can also be used to inform decision making around intervention and case management plans, conditions of community supervision and release/discharge planning.
3. Stabilizing the Youth
Youth can be a vital force for change by denouncing injustices and rallying communities to action. However, they are also highly vulnerable and prone to becoming radicalized or joining armed groups that instigate violence and destruction.
Developing crisis services that target youth is one solution. These youth-specific crisis services provide immediate assessment, de-escalation and connection to appropriate care. Some states are exploring options that include mobile crisis services for youth, as well as community- and home-based interventions, such as crisis receiving and stabilization facilities.
In-home crisis stabilization programs can divert youth from emergency departments and inpatient hospitalization. These programs bring qualified crisis professionals to a youth’s home or school, where they conduct an in-person assessment, provide crisis counseling and support, and make referrals for ongoing mental health treatment. These programs can be designed to meet youth’s specific needs, including cultural considerations, such as language and sensory adaptations. They can also be designed to address underlying challenges that contribute to the youth’s crisis.
4. Engaging the Family/Caregiver(s)
The most important step in helping youth through a crisis is to engage their family. It is crucial that they have someone there who can take control and keep them safe until they are able to calm down.
In addition, the youth’s family and caregivers can provide a vital link between them and the community. Youth who are in crisis may not have the ability to use their good judgment or self-control and are prone to making poor decisions that could lead to harm or death.
As a result, it is vital for the community to be prepared and know what to look out for so that they can respond quickly. This can include educating family members about the signs and symptoms of mental health emergencies as well as training on how to safely restrain a child if necessary. It is also critical to have a system in place where family members can be referred for home-based crisis intervention services when necessary.