Adolescents

This brief explores mental health and substance use during, and prior to, the COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight populations that were more likely to experience worse mental health and substance use outcomes during the pandemic and discuss some innovations in the delivery of services.

Young adults in the United States continue to be more likely than their older counterparts to be experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to the latest federal data analyzed by KFF researchers. The analysis of the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey finds that half (50%) of adults ages 18-24…

Concerns about youth mental health and access to care continues to increase. Schools can be an easy access point for behavioral health services and Medicaid provides significant financing for the delivery of these services in schools. In this analysis, we explore the strategies state Medicaid programs are taking to promote and improve access to school-based behavioral health services, and how recent policies call on Medicaid to expand access to care for youth, particularly in schools.

Gun deaths among children and adolescents continued to rise in 2021, particularly among Black youth, a new KFF analysis of federal injury and mortality data finds. The analysis finds that the rate of firearm-related deaths for children ages 17 and younger reached 3.6 per 100,000 children in 2021, a 50%…

Gun violence has increased in recent years, particularly during the pandemic, and adversely affects many children and adolescents. This brief explores the disproportionate impacts of gun violence on children of color and male youth and the negative mental health consequences associated with gun violence.

This analysis explores the landscape of mental health services in public schools during the 2021-2022 school year, barriers schools face in offering these services, and how recent policies aim to facilitate the expansion of school-based mental health care.

Concerns about adolescent mental health and substance use have increased, particularly in light of gun violence and the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief explores the state of adolescent mental health in recent years, highlighting differences observed by sex, racial and ethnic groups, and sexual orientation.

Increasing availability of high-quality comprehensive data disaggregated by race/ethnicity is a prerequisite for efforts to advance health equity, not only related to COVID-19 but in health and health care more broadly.

Nearly half (48%) of parents of vaccine-eligible children ages 12-17 now say their child has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a new KFF Vaccine Monitor report shows. Another 15% of those parents now say they want to “wait and see” how the vaccine works for others…

This report tracks parents’ vaccine COVID-19 vaccine intentions for their children and finds that nearly half of parents of 12-17 year olds say their child has already gotten the COVID-19 vaccine. This report also examines parents’ views on school policies and precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep children safe.