In honor of World Mental Health Day, Emhoff and Dr. Murthy empowered young people and their parents to advocate for mental health in our country.

Article by Skylar Musick, Senior White House Producer

WASHINGTON - Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on Tuesday participated in a fireside chat on youth mental health for World Mental Health Day at the United Nations International School in New York City.

The event was hosted by the Child Mind Institute, a non-profit organization committed to care, education, and treatment for children and families struggling with their mental health. The discussion was facilitated by two 16-year-old NYC students who are members of the Child Mind Institute Youth Council.

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance report, current high school students are experiencing concerning levels of suicidal thoughts and hopelessness. Symptoms of anxiety and depression doubled during the pandemic. Additionally, one in five children and teens struggle with a mental health disorder, but almost two out of three children do not get diagnosed or treated. 

Dr. Harold Koplewicz, the Child Mind Institute’s Founding President and Medical Director, provided more jarring statistics and was straightforward about children’s mental health in his opening remarks.

“Our kids are not okay,” he said.

Second Gentleman Emhoff and Surgeon General Dr. Murthy were just as frank about the seriousness of mental illness in children. Emhoff called the issue “an epidemic” and “a crisis.”

“This is not a political issue,” he said. “It affects all of us equally.”

Dr. Murthy acknowledged that many adults believe youth mental illness shows weakness in today’s children. However, he quickly denied this notion.

“It’s not the children… it’s their environment,” Dr. Murthy said. “We all want to feel like we belong… and that’s not a weakness.”

A major part of young people’s environment is social media. The Surgeon General said social media are designed to maximize consumers’ time spent on their platforms, but children who spend three hours or more per day online are at risk for anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. According to Dr. Murthy, most children spend three-and-a-half hours per day on social media.

The Second Gentleman added that the misinformation, disinformation and hatred spread online can have “deadly consequences.”

He added that parents need to ask their children what they are consuming and how much time they are spending on social media.

“There has to be an open conversation,” Emhoff said.

The Surgeon General pointed out that “how people express their feelings [has] a gender component to it.” Young girls are socially and culturally taught to internalize their pain, while young boys are taught to externalize their pain. Therefore, parents need to normalize talking about mental health with their children. 

“We are an interdependent species,” the Surgeon General said. “It’s really our strength… We need to help each other on this journey.”

“It’s okay to talk about it,” Emhoff added. “We’ve got to get the word out and reduce the stigma.”

Emhoff and Dr. Murthy also owed youth mental health struggles to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Murthy said loneliness has increased in children and young adults since the pandemic. Thus, Emhoff advised us to be honest about the pandemic’s affects and to be patient as everyone recovers.

“We have to acknowledge that our entire country went through a collective trauma,” the Second Gentleman said. “Everyone’s not going to get there at the same time… it’s okay. It’s just going to take a little bit of time.”

The Surgeon General and the Second Gentleman said the Biden-Harris administration calls on young people to advocate for mental health because America’s youth is fed up with the stigma and has decided there are better ways to talk about mental health.

Therefore, Dr. Murthy and Emhoff gave advice specifically to students on how to advocate for mental health in their schools and communities.

The Surgeon General urged students to connect with their school’s leadership to help change or improve their existing mental health resources.

Dr. Murthy also encouraged students to contact their local and national policymakers about implementing safety standards and immediate mental health care for all citizens.

“You don’t need permission to lead; just lead,” the Second Gentleman added. “Own it, take control, and get out there and advocate.”