Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York

There is an enduring mental health crisis among youth and young adults in New York State and across the country. One in five young people had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Between 2021 and 2023, there were small improvements in the number of young people who felt persistently sad or hopeless, but disparities persist for young people of color and LGBTQ youth. Nearly two-thirds of teens who experience mental health challenges don’t seek help; those who do seek help face barriers. Throughout New York, families are on waitlists for weeks, months, or longer because of inadequate coverage and reimbursement rates, high out-of-pocket costs, and insufficient provider networks. Close to 40 of New York’s 62 counties are fully designated as mental health shortage areas. In 2024, NYHealth awarded Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC) a grant to assess health plan coverage of youth mental health services and make recommendations to improve access, affordability, and quality. NYHealth is also supporting complementary initiatives with Delphi Rise and the New York State YMCA Foundation. 

Under this grant, CCC will examine coverage exclusions, high co-pays and deductibles, and inadequate or inconsistent provider networks; conduct qualitative interviews with providers and consumers; assess the availability of child-serving mental health providers; distribute findings and advocate for coverage reforms.