Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

#1: Early Mental Health Support and Exceptional Clinical Care

• Early Support Services: Symptoms in response to anxiety, depression, and trauma are generally the first mental health problems for which young people need support. Yet such early mental health supports are scarce. In developing a new early access and intervention model in the United States with the allcove program, Stanford will create clinical sites where young people ages 12-25 feel comfortable independently accessing early support and mental health guidance in safe and comfortable environments, a critical first step toward developing a national youth model for public mental health.
• Linkages to Clinical Expertise for More Serious Mental Health Conditions: Due to issues of stigma or lack of understanding about mental health issues and symptoms, young people often first seek help when symptoms have become more serious. Strong linkages with Stanford clinical services allow for rapid intervention and support for young people experiencing many of the mental health challenges of adolescence. These clinical programs include:
  • Severe Anxiety and Mood Disorders: Enhanced clinical services and support for young people and families for treatment of mood disorders, especially those with depression and suicide risk.
  • Eating Disorders: Providing early support for young people with eating disorders allows for community intervention and decreases the need to miss school due to hospitalization or needs for extended care away from home.
  • Early Psychosis: The INSPIRE Clinic at Stanford provides treatment for young people with symptoms of early psychosis.  In addition, National Psychosis-Risk and Early Psychosis Program Network (PEPPNET), facilitated by Stanford, ensures clinical sites across the country working in this field are connecting with cutting edge training, treatment programs, and cross-site collaboration, allowing for rapid referral to specialist treatment and decreasing the potential impact of untreated psychosis.
  • Trauma Prevention and Early Intervention: Adolescence is a time when many young people face traumatic events as a result of abuse or violence, necessitating rapid intervention to minimize the long-term consequences of traumatic events.
  • Assessment, Diagnosis, and Triage Program: A core component under development is a clinical assessment service that provides a day long, multi-disciplinary assessment for young people and their families. This collaborative process will provide a roadmap towards wellness and healing, which includes recommendations on the appropriate support within the continuum of care for that young person.
  • Integration With Primary Care: Primary care providers are often in the best position to detect early symptoms of mental health conditions, but many lack the training or clinical time needed to follow up on these concerns. In partnership with the Stanford Health Care System and Stanford Children’s Health, the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing seeks opportunities to increase the capacity of primary care providers to support early identification and treatment of mental health issues.

#2: Educational and Community Partnerships

#3: Mental Health and Technology Program