Using Culture to Promote Youth Mental Health and Well-being: Lessons from Community Providers

Youth and young people deserve access to services that affirm their identities and are responsive to their mental health and well-being. However, the data shows that young people are experiencing significant and worsening challenges to their mental health and well-being, and many youth do not have access to appropriate services and support. In interviews with community-based organizations serving communities of color, CSSP spoke to 14 providers offering affirming services for youth of color that address their mental health and well-being. This brief highlights how community-based organizations provide effective, culturally grounded services designed to meet the myriad needs of youth and actions policymakers can take to remove barriers to needed services for young people.

(9pp)