“Unfortunately there are many barriers to care to address youth mental health concerns, and even once those barriers are addressed, there are gaps.”
Katherine Wooten – Senior Director, Clinical Strategy & Research
The challenges today’s youth face, from rising mental health concerns to chronic physical conditions, require a thoughtful, integrated response in health care. In our recent webinar, Katherine Wooten (Senior Director of Clinical Strategy & Research) and Melissa Moore (SVP of Member Operations), examined these issues and explored strategies for developing effective, youth-focused care.
Understanding the urgency
“We’re seeing an alarming rise in behavioral health issues, from anxiety to depression, substance use and suicide ideation,” stated Melissa Moore. “In fact, according to recent studies, nearly one in five youths experience a mental health disorder and many go without the care they need.”
Compounding the issue are fragmented systems of care, a shortage of youth-focused providers, and a lack of tailored programming—all of which leave families without clear pathways to support.
Katherine Wooten emphasized the significant barriers to mental health care, citing the 20% of adolescents who report not receiving the mental health therapy they need due to cost, stigma, or uncertainty about how to access help. Disparities are particularly stark among female and LGBTQ+ youth. For female and LGBTQ+ youth, this number climbs to 32% and 38%, respectively.
“Unfortunately there are many barriers to care to address these mental health concerns,” she said, “and even once those barriers are addressed, there are gaps.”
Building specialty programs that work
Moore outlined a practical framework for building youth specialty programs, starting with early identification. She emphasized the importance of equipping parents, schools and community leaders with tools to recognize emerging mental or physical health concerns, noting the value of standardized screening tools like the PSC, PHQ-9 for adolescents, and M-CHAT.
“Caregivers are really on the front lines. We know that the earlier we can recognize a sign of behavioral health challenge or risk factors for chronic conditions, the better the outcomes.”
Melissa Moore – SVP, Member Operations
She also highlighted the need for integrated, coordinated care that connects providers, schools, families and care coordinators through a unified treatment approach. This prevents fragmented or conflicting care and ensures consistency across all touchpoints.
Extending care beyond clinical settings is equally essential. By engaging community organizations, schools and after-school programs, treatment can be reinforced in the environments where kids spend the most time.
Moore underscored the importance of caregiver support. Families need access to resources, peer networks, and respite to effectively manage the challenges of caring for youth with complex needs.
“Caregivers are really on the front lines. They need to feel confident in what they’re doing and feel cared for. We know that the earlier we can recognize a sign of behavioral health challenge or risk factors for chronic conditions, the better the outcomes,” she said.
From strategy to implementation
Moore outlined five essential steps for putting these programs into action:
- Assess Needs & Identify Gaps: Use data and stakeholder input to understand youth health trends, evaluate provider networks and highlight service shortcomings.
- Define Program Goals & Align Benefits: Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals and integrate them with existing health plan benefits. Where gaps exist, consider partnerships or benefit expansion.
- Coordinate Care Effectively: Clarify care coordination roles, involve youth and caregivers, and bridge gaps across schools, primary care, and behavioral health through tools like EHRs and telehealth.
- Use Digital Tools: Leverage technology to streamline provider matching, enhance access to care, and support families through online scheduling, digital resources, and quality monitoring.
- Measure and Optimize: Track outcomes using claims data, satisfaction surveys and quality metrics to evaluate progress and identify areas for improvement.
Lucet’s model in action
Lucet exemplifies this model with its child & adolescent team, which comprises specialized social workers, therapists and psychiatrists who manage care, facilitate services and support caregivers. The Navigate & Connect platform uses real-time data to match youth with providers based on factors such as location, specialty, modality and identity alignment.
Moving forward: bridging gaps
Addressing the growing needs of today’s youth requires more than piecemeal efforts. It demands a coordinated, proactive and compassionate system of care, rooted in early intervention, community support and digital empowerment. Through comprehensive specialty programs, we can build a better future where all youth have the opportunity to thrive.
Britta Nordstrom, MBA is a senior marketing specialist at Lucet.
