This document is a policy report, the third and final installment in a series of reports by the Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force, published by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC).
Promoting youths’ mental health and preventing substance use, along with early identification and intervention, are critical to improving the well‑being of young people across the United States. This report emphasizes the urgent need for early, prevention-oriented interventions in youth mental health and substance use. It outlines a federal, coordinated strategy combining resources and policy action to reduce long-term social and economic costs by intervening before crises emerge.
Early, cross-sector prevention and intervention for youth mental health and substance use significantly reduce long-term individual and societal costs.
Key Themes:
Rising Mental Health and Substance Use Challenges:
Anxiety and depression are increasing among adolescents and young adults; although overall youth substance use has declined somewhat, overdose deaths remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.Crucial Importance of Early Identification and Intervention:
Early action helps prevent crises, lowers burdens on healthcare systems, and builds long‑term resilience and better outcomes.Whole-of-Government, Cross-Sector Coordination:
Meaningful prevention requires alignment across education, economic, community, child welfare, primary care, school systems, military institutions, and federal programs.Stagnant Federal Funding:
Despite rising need, federal investment has lagged, programs like the Children's Mental Health Initiative require renewed and expanded support to protect youth mental health.
