Addressing youth mental health crisis starts with primary care
There has been a staggering rise in mental health challenges among young people in recent years. According to a new report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, in teens ages 15 to 17 doubled from 2019 to 2022. These rates remain significantly elevated today.
That same report noted that primary care providers (PCP) account for 41% of all new MDD diagnoses in youth. In Washington, that number is even higher—50% of diagnoses originate with PCPs.
Because PCPs are often a young person’s first point of contact in the medical system, we play a critical role in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of youth mental health disorders.
The report also shows that Black, Hispanic, and socially vulnerable youth are far more likely to receive an MDD diagnosis for the first time during a crisis event, like an ER visit or inpatient hospitalization.
If we’re going to address the youth mental health crisis, we need to make it easier for young people to see a provider who can diagnose mental health issues and guide patients to the care they need. This means increasing access to primary care, ensuring PCPs are trained in early diagnosis and management of behavioral health conditions, integrating behavioral health clinicians into primary care settings, and removing barriers to care by offering more robust telehealth options.
We must meet young people where they are. This includes investing in care teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and building partnerships with non-clinical personnel like community health workers, who understand how trauma, identity, and lived experience can impact mental health.
There’s no quick fix here, but there is a clear path forward: improve access to care and make early screening a routine part of primary care visits. Give providers the training and tools to spot problems sooner. Strengthen partnerships with schools, families, and local organizations. And above all, listen to what young people are telling us and identify how we can support them.
Dr. Mack Hinson is president of Kinwell Medical Group, an advanced primary care network with clinics across Washington, including Poulsbo.
This article originally appeared in the July 11, 2025 edition of the Kitsap Daily News.
