Diagnosing the Youth Mental Health Crisis? Don’t Forget Housing and Extreme Heat

The city of Boston recently announced a new $21 million initiative to address the urgent need for more mental health services and programs for youth and families. This announcement follows a report from the Boston Public Health Commission detailing how widespread persistent sadness and anxiety has become amongst youth and adults. And the problem is growing. Between 2015 and 2021, youth in Boston experiencing persistent sadness steadily increased from 26.7 percent to 43.9 percent.

Leveraging federal funds and grants, including through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the City of Boston is committing to building a larger, more diverse mental health workforce to address this crisis. In the next five years, the program is expected to reach 50,000 youth in 21 Boston Public Schools. This is a transformative investment in the future of Boston.