Today’s adolescents and emerging adults are facing an ever-changing world, with growing repercussions on their well-being and ability to be contributing members of society. Young people struggle with forming their identities, engaging in healthy relationships and navigating life transitions. In addition to confronting the challenges of these developmental tasks, approximately 20 percent of youth experience mental illness, including substance use disorders and mental disorders. Professional counselors are well-equipped to diagnose and treat mental health and substance use disorders, whether as stand-alone or co-occurring disorders.
As reported by the U.S. government website youth.gov, half of all mental health disorders have surfaced by age 14. Furthermore, by age 24, approximately 75 percent of adults who will have a mental health disorder in their lifetime have symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria. What this means is that professional counselors who work with youth in schools and in the community are ideally suited to engage in prevention services, screenings and early interventions to assist young people in obtaining needed counseling treatment.
Another major focus for youth is to seek academic studies that will prepare them for the world of work. Yet, a report by the Institute for the Future estimates that 85 percent of jobs in the year 2030 do not currently exist. Therefore, school-based and career counseling are essential components of preparing youth for the unknown within the career market. Professional counselors across settings will play a pivotal role in readying the upcoming U.S. workforce for impending changes related to technological advances.
As the World Health Organization points out, youth violence is another issue that needs to be addressed. Again, professional counselors are part of the solution, providing early intervention and treatment for those who are at risk of engaging in violent behavior and for those who are victims of such violence. Other forms of trauma-informed counseling for youth center on natural disasters, sexual assault, abuse and neglect.
In addition, many youth endure disabilities or chronic illnesses such as diabetes, fibromyalgia and epilepsy. These life-altering physical diagnoses have widespread impact on adolescents and emerging adults in relation to their mental health. Furthermore, typical developmental tasks may be delayed or impeded. Thus, youth may benefit from counseling focused on specialty areas of rehabilitation, school, career and mental health when living with a medical condition.
Professional counselors can facilitate resiliency, wellness and recovery by providing prevention and treatment services to adolescents and emerging adults. We can assist youth in sustaining optimal mental health and reaching their academic and career goals. To do that, we need to engage youth within our counseling rooms and advocate on their behalf with families, school personnel and policymakers.
There are myriad ways you can be a youth mental health advocate. Let your state legislators know that you support the inclusion of mental health education in school curricula, as has been done in New York and Virginia. At the state and federal levels, fight for youth to have access to mental health care and addiction counseling in schools, colleges and communities. Engage in culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate prevention and screening within your own work setting. Start planning how you can engage in youth-focused public awareness activities during the American Counseling Association’s Counseling Awareness Month (counseling.org/events/counseling-awareness-month-2018) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Prevention Week (samhsa.gov/prevention-week). Finally, partake in professional development related to youth mental health, substance abuse, career issues, risk assessments and trauma-informed care.
Professional counselors can assist youth in overcoming past, present and future challenges and obstacles. Collectively, we can all share our counseling expertise and advocacy efforts to help today’s youth be ready for tomorrow.
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