{"id":592815,"date":"2026-04-19T01:52:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/592815\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T01:52:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T01:52:09","slug":"kids-are-not-ok-panelists-highlight-mental-health-struggles-among-idaho-youth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/592815\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Kids are not OK’: Panelists highlight mental health struggles among Idaho youth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BOISE (IdahoEdNews.org<\/a>) \u2014 The presence of a safe, caring adult is the No. 1 protective factor that can help kids overcome mental health issues, but a licensed social worker said the Legislature is putting up barriers and increasing risk for youth in Idaho.<\/p>\n

Five panelists spoke Tuesday at a panel discussion on youth mental health hosted by City Club of Boise. The lunch event was titled, \u201cAre the Kids OK?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKids are struggling, for sure, and so I\u2019m going to say they are not OK right now,\u201d panelist Janelle Stauffer, a therapist and social worker with The Resiliency Center of Idaho, told EdNews after the event.<\/p>\n

She is especially worried about youth who experience discrimination. She told the crowd at the Idaho State Museum that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide, and youth of color are accessing healthcare at a lower rate than everyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of the reason is representation,\u201d Stauffer said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to find a provider that looks like them or shares their cultural values.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if state lawmakers are helping or hurting, Stauffer told EdNews that the Legislature is causing harm. She specifically mentioned House Bill 822<\/a>, called the \u201cPediatric Secretive Transitions Parental Rights Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill \u2014 which passed mostly on a party line vote, with Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, joining Democrats in opposition \u2014 requires healthcare providers and schools to notify parents if a student expresses interest in a \u201csex transition procedure\u201d or a \u201csocial transition,\u201d such as using a different name or pronoun.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been the topic of therapy sessions for many, many weeks now,\u201d Stauffer said.<\/p>\n

Exploration is a very normal part of adolescent development, she said, and placing barriers in the way of reaching out to trusted adults decreases protective factors and increases risk for youth.<\/p>\n

She said research shows that when youth feel rejected, isolated or are not accepted for who they are, they are more likely to attempt suicide. But there is hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith just the right support, they are going to figure this out,\u201d Stauffer told EdNews.<\/p>\n

That support starts with the community, said panelist Megan Smith, a public health professor at Boise State University.<\/p>\n

Smith said adults need to take responsibility and tackle the environment fueling youth mental challenges. Data can help inform communities about the factors that precede mental health issues and substance abuse, she said. With that understanding, local communities can create sustainable change.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can create communities that are just better for kids,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSo we don\u2019t have to keep being in crisis. So we don\u2019t have to keep bailing ourselves out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another panelist, Juliet Charron, the director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, spoke about what the state can do to help youth.<\/p>\n

She said Idaho is in dire need of licensed clinical behavioral health professionals and pediatric psychiatrists. Another area of need is supporting youth who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose are some things that we\u2019re working on at the department,\u201d Charron said.<\/p>\n

She suggested the state should strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals and support graduate medical education programs focused on psychiatry. The state should also continue to fund behavioral health services for youth and adults.<\/p>\n

The Idaho Capital Sun<\/a> and The New York Times<\/a>\u00a0recently reported on multiple deaths that occurred after the state cut off funding for a mobile mental health treatment program.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think everyone is well aware of some of the challenging conversations \u2026 this recent legislative session around funding for behavioral health services,\u201d Charron said.<\/p>\n

In their closing remarks, the panelists shared what each person in the room could do to help the youth.<\/p>\n

Charron said work remains on normalizing mental health discussions and that mental health and physical health should be treated the same.<\/p>\n

Smith told the crowd they should prioritize connections with young people.<\/p>\n

Stauffer said we should stop being corrective and instead be curious. \u201cInstead of saying, \u2018What\u2019s wrong with this kid?\u2019 let your first question be, \u2018What\u2019s happening in this community that needs to be changed to support this kid?\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org<\/a> on April 15, 2026<\/p>\n

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