Explore care seeking

Are youth getting the care they need?

Surgo Health ran a comprehensive and equity-focused study on youth mental health & wellbeing, revealing the current experiences of over 4,500 youth today. Youth were also asked about their experiences getting mental health care, ranging from why they do or do not seek help to their experiences during mental health care treatment.

Are youth getting the complete mental health care they need?

More than 60% of young people who have struggled with their mental health are not getting the complete care they need. Young people are dropping off at several points of their care journey, from choosing to seek help through to treatment completion.

Are youth getting the complete mental health care they need? 38% of youth who struggled with their mental health over the past two years are still in treatment, or stopped after completing treatment. 62% of youth who struggled with their mental health did not ge the complete care they needed.

Are youth getting the complete mental health care they need?

More than 60% of young people who have struggled with their mental health are not getting the complete care they need. Young people are dropping off at several points of their journey through care, from choosing to seek help through to treatment completion.

Are youth getting the complete mental health care they need? Visualization describes how 38% of youth who struggled with their mental health over the past two years are still in treatment, or stopped after completing treatment. 62% of youth who struggled with their mental health did not get the complete care they needed.

Where are youth dropping off?

The journey to mental health care for young people is filled with challenges that impact their ability to seek, receive, and complete treatment. Scroll down to explore a detailed breakdown of each step in this journey, uncovering where and why youth face obstacles in accessing the support they need.

Where are youth dropping off? Over the past two years, 55% of individuals did not face or report mental health struggles, and 45% reported significant mental health struggles. Of those that reported mental health struggles, 66% sought professional care, and 34% did not seek professional care. Of those who sought professional care, 92% received care, and 8% never received care. Of those who received care, 62% are still in treatment, or stopped after completing treatment, and 38% stopped getting treatment before completing all available or recommended sessions.

Dive deeper into the care seeking journey below

Where are youth dropping off?

The journey to mental health care for young people is filled with challenges that impact their ability to seek, receive, and complete treatment. Scroll down to explore a detailed breakdown of each step in this journey, uncovering where and why youth face obstacles in accessing the support they need.

Where are youth dropping off? Over the past two years, 55% of individuals did not face or report mental health struggles, and 45% reported significant mental health struggles. Of those that reported mental health struggles, 66% sought professional care, and 34% did not seek professional care. Of those who sought professional care, 92% received care, and 8% never received care. Of those who received care, 62% are still in treatment, or stopped after completing treatment, and 38% stopped getting treatment before completing all available or recommended sessions.

Why are youth dropping off?

Below, we explore the care journey of over 4,500 youth, revealing the obstacles at each step and why so many young people struggle to receive the help they need.

Most young people aren’t getting the mental health care they need, when they need it.

From the stigma of opening up to their parents to the logistical challenges of finding a provider who takes their insurance, the journey is filled with barriers. Even for those who access care, many drop out because the system isn’t designed with their needs in mind. We can and must do better. Explore our Policy Playbook to explore data-driven solutions that can transform mental health care for youth, making it accessible, timely, and supportive.

Why are youth dropping off?

Below, we explore the care-seeking journey of over 4,500 youth, revealing the obstacles at each step and why so many young people struggle to receive the help they need.

Hear the Stories

  • “It can be difficult to know what type of help to get for your mental health, and I've also experienced a lot of trouble with waitlists.”

    22 years old

  • “My parents are very old-fashioned and believe that professional help is for a worst case scenario. A lot of the time they don't understand what I'm going through and think that I just need to get over it.”

    19 years old

  • “I'm scared that my mental health struggles being recorded will someday impact my ability to move countries or become a foster parent.”

    22 years old

  • “I didn't want to be a burden to my family (mentally or financially), and I didn't think my parents would believe me or take me seriously.”

    17 years old

  • “Finding a therapist/counselor that could relate to me [was difficult]. I would like a LGBTQ friendly counselor.”

    23 years old

  • “It was hard to find a therapist that truly understood me. The backgrounds of my therapists were always drastically different than mine so there was a gap in understanding.”

    24 years old

  • “Health insurance is purposely labyrithian and difficult to understand, and I have a particular difficulty navigating it.”

    24 years old

  • “I just didn't feel like I'd be able to talk about [my mental health] with a stranger”

    20 years old

  • “Feeling like I would be stigmatized for having mental health problems [made it difficult to see professional help]”

    24 years old

  • “I was a minor so I needed my parents' consent for treatment, which they refused until I was hospitalized”

    24 years old

  • “I never saw the doctor as a child and never learned how to seek healthcare or get insurance. I wish there was a guide, or step by step instructions, or something.”

    23 years old

  • “It was extremely difficult to find a therapist who wasn't fully booked”

    16 years old

  • “The long waiting lists for insurance covered help is what's kept me from getting it until now. It's been months and I'm still on a waiting list and am projected to be on it for at least another year.”

    17 years old

  • “[There was] uncertainty with my health insurance coverage or being able to afford prescriptions”

    22 years old

  • “Both my parents work a lot so I wasn't sure if they would have enough time to take me to see a professional.”

    15 years old

  • “The time schedule and having it interfere with my classes [prevented/delayed me from receiving help]”

    16 years old

  • “Denial about the severity of my negative mental health  [prevented/delayed me from receiving help]”

    21 years old

  • “Not having a mode of transport due to a shared car with a partner who did not believe I needed help  [prevented/delayed me from receiving help]”

    24 years old

  • “Mainly parental pushback and long wait time for psychiatric evaluation  [prevented/delayed me from receiving help]”

    18 years old

Understand the Journey to Mental Health Care

Explore the critical steps and drop-off points in the youth mental health care journey. Download this visual to gain deeper insights into the barriers and challenges young people face in accessing treatment.