Children and teens are facing a growing mental health crisis marked by rising rates of anxiety, depression, OCD, school refusal, loneliness, and emotional overwhelm. In 2016, 16.5% of youth ages 6 to 17 experienced a mental health disorder (Whitney & Peterson, 2019). 32.2% of U.S. young adults (ages 18 to 24) experienced mental illness in 2024 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2025). Furthermore, OCD affects about 3% of young people with more than half first showing symptoms before age 17 (Rapoport et al., 2000; Dell’Osso et al., 2016). Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among 10 to 24 year olds (CDC, 2025). Yet too many families struggle to find timely, high-quality care that is truly evidence-based. 

The Center for Youth Mental Health (CYMH) was created to help close that gap by expanding access to compassionate, science-backed treatment for youth and their families. Through evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), parent training, community education, and intensive clinician training, CYMH is working to make effective mental health care more accessible, affordable, and available to the families who need it most.

Evidence-based therapies give children, teens, and families practical tools that are proven to work. Approaches like CBT, ERP, ACT, and parent-focused interventions help young people build resilience, manage difficult emotions, and create lasting positive change.