In July of 2023, the National Governors Association published its Youth Mental Health Playbook for Governors, which contain more than 30 bipartisan policy opportunities and dozens of state examples about how Governors and state policy leaders can engage across the spectrum of youth mental health. The Playbook is built around four pillars: prevention and resilience, stigma and awareness, access to affordable care, and caring for the caregivers of youth with mental health struggles. While this Playbook represents a menu of options for how Governors can move the needle on youth mental health in their states, the National Governors Association is committed to supporting policy advisors and Governors advance youth mental health priorities and bring the policy opportunities featured within the Playbook to life.
Brianna Keys, former Senior Policy Advisor for Children and Families for Governor Phil Murphy in New Jersey, spoke about the impact of Playbook and how Governors’ policy advisors can include it as a tool in their arsenal. The Playbook highlights 35 bipartisan policy opportunities for Governors and more than 100 examples of actions states have taken to address youth mental health.
During the call, states had the opportunity to connect with their peers and share advancements in their states. Resources and callouts included:
- North Carolina’s Comprehensive State Plan on Investing in Behavioral Health and Resilience, released in March of 2023
- New York’s report from Governor Hochul’s Youth Mental Health listening tour
- Alaska’s comprehensive Healthy Families Initiative, covering healthy beginnings, access to health care, and whole-community health
- Delaware Governor John Carney signed legislation aimed at increasing resources available for students and promoting access to behavioral health services.
The National Governor’s Association is excited to continue its work on youth mental health. For project announcements and additional resources, please see NGA’s Youth Mental Health website.
