Young people are at particular risk of experiencing decreased wellbeing levels and mental health challenges. Mental health disorders are one of the most common chronic health issues young people endure and the pandemic has further decreased wellbeing levels and increased levels of stress for young people. Despite the likelihood of decreased wellbeing, mental health challenges, and potential development of mental health disorders, young people are less likely to engage with services than other age groups. This is because young people can experience significant delays in receiving support, are concerned about stigma, and struggle to cover high service costs.
A 2019 report from the Australian Productivity Commissioner illustrated that gaps in support for mental health and wellbeing are primarily in prevention and early intervention, often where young people most need support. The Commission report outlines significant gaps in services for low-intensity (at risk of developing mental health disorder) and middle groups (too severe to be treated by primary care services alone but not able to access specialist mental health services). In South Australia, young people can access support services through federally funded organisations like headspace, by viewing online resources, through GP provided mental healthcare plans, and through private practice supports, however, services often have long waitlists and even with Medicare some services can carry significant out of pocket costs. Young people having access to timely support during the early onset of decreased wellbeing, and first signs of the development of anxiety, depression and psychological distress is critical for prevention of lifelong consequences and for the prevention of suicidality (suicidal ideation, behaviours, and attempts). Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people (aged 15-24 years old) and rates are significantly higher for young people experiencing existing disadvantage especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, LBGTQIA+ young people and young people living regionally and rurally. Persistently long waitlists for services, non-clinical support not being a government priority, impacts of increasingly high unemployment and underemployment, housing stress, and decreased social connections have exacerbated mental health issues for young people and so, mental health remains a priority issue for young voters.
In South Australia there are several Government plans in place like the SA Youth Action Plan featuring a priority for “Wellbeing and Environment” aiming to ensure young people are safe, healthy, and resilient. This plan has seen invest in prevention and early intervention like podcasts for young men about experiences of suicide distress and a pop-up style drop-in centre for young people in Noarlunga. However, more is needed as the proportion of South Australian young people feeling positive about the future continues to decrease from 60.4 percent in 2019 down to 54.3 percent in 2020 and down again to 50.9 percent in 2021. Experiences of stress for young South Australian have remained high with 46.3 percent of young people in South Australia feeling stressed most to all the time in 2020 and 46.6 percent feeling stressed most to all of the time in 2021.
Young people’s wellbeing and mental health can be better supported through increased investment in youth-specific prevention and early intervention mental healthcare services co-designed with young people and community-based. Prevention programs can assist in developing resilience, healthy coping mechanisms and reduce stigma. Early intervention programs tailored to young people that recognise risk factors for further development of mental health challenges and suicide risk, involving the promotion of protective factors, are likely to reduce risks of suicide. Without access to prevention and early intervention support, young people experiencing decreased wellbeing are unlikely to receive the support they need and may continue to experience decreased wellbeing developing into mental health challenges. Most concerningly, groups of young people that were disproportionately affected by mental health challenges pre-pandemic like young women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are the populations that have also experienced compounding disproportionate impacts from COVID-19 making the need for further investment in co-designed prevention and early intervention immediately vital.
