Vermont’s child and youth mental health is in crisis, as recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association in October 2021, reinforced by the U.S. Surgeon General. Of Vermont youth responding to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 23% reported cutting or burning themselves without intent to die, while 14% reported making a plan to kill themselves in the past year. LGBTQ+ youth are three times more likely to report making a suicide plan. Contributing factors include isolation experienced during COVID, community divisiveness, and feelings of loneliness and social disconnectedness that generate chronic stress interfering with youth development.
Escalating Complexity and Resource Gaps
Challenges are growing in complexity and acuity, with more teens requiring crisis stabilization and presenting heightened depression and anxiety. Suicidal ideation is alarmingly common, with medication representing the most frequent method of suicide attempts. Easy access to lethal means during acute emotional crises dramatically increases fatal outcomes. Workforce challenges across schools, service agencies, and youth-supporting organizations are significantly impacting support availability due to chronic underfunding and increased acuity. Vermont has a critical shortage of foster families and insufficient staffing in community-based services and children’s residential treatment. Several residential treatment programs have closed; some operate limited schedules, reducing access for youth lacking family support during closures.
Service Effectiveness and Path Forward
Vermont Care Partners agencies served nearly 12,500 children and youth in 2024, providing over 700,000 services with an average of nearly 60 services per child. Eighty-five percent of children reported receiving appropriate services and needed care, while 91% reported staff treated them with respect. Northeast Family Institute’s hospital diversion programs achieved 83% success with youth accomplishing at least 75% of treatment goals within 7 to 10 days. To address the crisis, Vermont must increase resources for children and families, establish a comprehensive task force, reinstate evidence-based practices, provide sustainable funding for community services, invest in workforce development, and prioritize prevention and early intervention. Upstream services reduce future mental health challenges and decrease future costs while expanding accessible effective options for all Vermont families.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://vtdigger.org/2025/01/17/vermonts-child-and-youth-mental-health-crisis/