The mental health landscape for youth and young adults in the United States is at a critical inflection point. According to the World Economic Forum, the world’s 1.2 billion young people, representing 16% of the global population, are facing a generational mental health crisis of unprecedented scale. In the United States, the statistics are distressing: 13% of young adults aged 18-25 and 22% of high school students experience serious thoughts of suicide annually.
Brenda Tong (back middle) and Jantra Coll (second from right), along with Vibrant Emotional Health CEO Cara McNulty (third from left), visit with program staff at one of Vibrant’s community program sites in the Bronx, NY.
New York reflects these concerning national trends, with nearly one-quarter (24.4%) of young adults between the ages of 18-34 reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. These challenges are further intensified by modern stressors unique to today’s youth: the constant pressure of social media comparison, intensifying academic competition, economic uncertainty, and the lingering psychological aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid this crisis, accessible and developmentally appropriate mental health resources for young people aren’t just beneficial; they are life-saving. The objective in the last few years, across communities, has been to create an expansive continuum of care for mental health, a comprehensive system that provides a range of services and support to meet the needs of individuals and families over time, from initial assessment and intervention to ongoing care and discharge planning.
Since 1969, Vibrant Emotional Health has been a pioneer in creating a robust support network that meets young people at various touchpoints in their mental health journey. Here are some of the ways that this system has been set up throughout New York City communities and on a national scale:
Vocational Training and Transitional Support
In 2024, a staggering 64.9 million young people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed, with the youth unemployment rate at 13.6% – more than triple that of adults. Concerningly, the unemployment rate for 16-19-year-olds in the U.S. alone almost matches at 12.9%, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (though it is much lower for those 20 and older – around 4%).
To mitigate this troubling trend, especially among those for whom the traditional school setting is no longer viable and who are struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges, Vibrant runs Adolescent Skills Centers (ASC) aimed to prepare young people ages 14-22 to thrive in the workforce through comprehensive vocational training, educational programs, and mental health support. Recognizing a gap left unaddressed by other community programs, the goal is to provide a safe, inspiring, and nurturing environment where young people can achieve emotional well-being and security as they transition into independent adulthood. ASC programs are located throughout New York City, including in Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx.
Participants work on resume writing, job interviews, professional development, budgeting, and general financial literacy. From there, they are connected to employment opportunities and encouraged to practice their on-the-job skills to gain applicable experience in a variety of professional environments.
Once participants enter the program, they are invited into a life-changing opportunity where they get to re-create their lives and reimagine their futures. However, it is vital to approach this work with the nuanced understanding of the needs and barriers that each young person holds. Our dedicated teams take great pride in the connection they make with each participant and the resulting vivification of each of their lives. Participants report feeling a sense of safety and security within the program, with the freedom to be open and honest with Vibrant staff. This facilitates the development of healthy coping strategies while furthering their education and life skills.
Collaborative Family Services
It has been widely studied that communal processes have a greater impact on healing and care. When a young person is in need of emotional or behavioral health support, it is important that the entire family system have access to caring services, such as individual therapy, weekly behavioral health support sessions, and peer support services. This service model reduces the feelings of isolation and stress, opens the doorway for personal empowerment, and disrupts the stigma around seeking supportive services for mental health.
For example, Vibrant’s Youth & Family Wellness Services provide collaborative, strengths-based, and trauma-informed care to any child under 18 and their parents or caregivers in New York City. Families begin with an initial meeting with a therapist to discuss their individual strengths, needs, and preferences and determine which service would be the most helpful to them. Youth and their families then begin working with a team, which involves having weekly sessions with their providers. This enhances the spirit of collective care, where each member of the family is seen, held, and supported.
Additionally, Vibrant drives Family and Youth Peer Support (FYPS) services, which are dedicated to supporting and empowering families and youth from birth to 24 years of age who are facing emotional and behavioral health challenges. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene established a network of FYPS Alliances throughout New York City, including our Queens Alliance. Trained and credentialed family and youth peer advocates who have lived experience from successfully navigating similar challenges provide one-to-one support as well as evidence-based parenting classes and workshops. The program serves a range of at-risk populations, including those who are undocumented, uninsured, and/or undiagnosed, especially those who do not qualify for Medicaid, are navigating cultural stigmas around mental health, or have other culturally specific mental health needs, such as language requirements.
All services are provided on a voluntary basis, free of charge, and offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The mission of these services is to enable families and youth to find the resources and skills that make them feel capable and confident in responding to the unique challenges that life can present.
Comprehensive Youth Case Management
Navigating systems of care can be complex and overwhelming. Comprehensive case management services can help families manage this process and get connected to the services they need.
Vibrant hosts the Children’s Health Home program, which provides case management for youth under 21 with Medicaid insurance and qualifying chronic behavioral and medical conditions. Case managers assess each young person’s physical, educational, medical, and social needs. Then, they connect the help-seeker with the appropriate providers and ensure coordinated care to achieve agreed-upon outcomes. This vital service operates throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
Academic Assistance and Accountability
Although the overall school dropout rate has decreased from 7 to 5.3% over the last decade, more can be done. Barriers to academic success are especially prevalent for students of racial and ethnic minorities due to limited sources of quality support, socio-economic factors, and persistent trauma.
Programs such as The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) are working to lower this statistic further. Founded by JP Morgan Chase in 2010, TFI provides comprehensive academic, social, and emotional support to young men of color throughout high school across seven cities, including New York. Since 2015, Vibrant has partnered with TFI to offer social and emotional support services through Clinical Youth Specialists, who provide clinical support, case management, crisis intervention, and social-emotional wellness workshops for Fellows and their families. The overall program has achieved remarkable success with a 100% high school graduation rate and a 100% college admission rate among graduating Fellows.
Support Hotlines
Access to 24/7 call, text, and chat lifelines has become crucial for young people experiencing acute mental health crises, issues with substance use, and other emotional distress, offering confidential, accessible, and affirming help anytime, anywhere.
Among the many national crisis lifelines is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, administered by Vibrant. Since its launch in 2022, it has become a critical service, receiving thousands of contacts every day from people of all ages, especially young people.
For New York residents, Here2Help operates several unique crisis hotlines, including NYC 988, the largest metropolitan contact center in the country, and specialized support lines for addiction and other needs.
Another hotline New York students can turn to is the BRAVEline, a collaborative effort between the United Federation of Teachers and Vibrant for anonymous bullying support. One in every five students reports an experience with bullying, but many of them do not know how or where to find trusted guidance. This free hotline and chat service connects children and adolescents with mental health professionals who listen to their problems, help them develop coping strategies, and share essential resources.
Setting Up for Success
It is clear that there is a rapidly growing need for thoughtful mental health services for young people with frameworks that can be replicated throughout the country. These community services are fundamental for young people and their families to cope with mental health challenges, pursue educational goals, and prepare for their future careers.
Vibrant Emotional Health is at the forefront of addressing these urgent needs as both a leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental and emotional well-being, and as the administrator of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network. Through a comprehensive ecosystem of specialized programs and services, Vibrant is committed to meeting these young people where they are, whether in crisis or simply seeking support for everyday challenges, and having a lasting motivational impact on their lives.
Even greater than the individuals and families served, Vibrant is working toward systemic change by creating pathways for youth and young adults to thrive emotionally and mentally into adulthood.
Brenda Tong serves as the Chief Program Officer, and Jantra Coll is the Vice President of Community Services at Vibrant Emotional Health.
