Mental health resources remain one of the most underfunded and overlooked areas of global healthcare. Despite the growing need for quality, accessible mental health resources, most countries have allocated only 2% of total health budgets to mental health services, leaving millions of young people without the access to care they need. However, the estimates show that due to mental health conditions in children aged 0-19, the national economies globally lose nearly 390 billion USD worth of human capital. Furthermore, the global annual mental health finance gap is to reach over  200 billion USD.

According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, depression has been the leading global cause of years lost due to disability. While it currently ranks third in the global burden of disease, it is projected to reach the top rank by 2030.

Poor mental health hinders a person’s ability to work effectively and reach their potential. Socio-economic disparities, inadequate education, gender disparity, poor health, violence, and other global issues serve both as contributors and results of poor mental health.

Furthermore, the research shows that the psychological distress relates to less annual labor force participation 10 years later and that preventive policies focused on reducing mental health distress lead to increased labor force participation, higher income and better health. 

There is also growing evidence that a wide range of preventive and care interventions can effectively reduce the incidence of mental health conditions such as depression and behavioral disorders. These interventions are not only impactful but economically sound — with an estimated return on investment of USD 23.60 for every dollar spent, demonstrating the substantial value of early and sustained action in mental health care.

We recommend the global community and UN member states to:

• Prioritise the integration of mental health care into primary health services and strengthen as well as expand networks of community-based care services to improve accessibility, ensure affordability, and increase detection rates of mental health issues, and integrate mental health investments in already existing programs such as humanitarian help or climate change adaptation.
• Invest in training and increasing the number of mental health professionals, especially for child and adolescent mental health specialists as well as significantly increase national and international funding for youth mental health services, with specific targets for prevention, early intervention, and crisis care. 
• Ensure meaningful youth participation in mental health research and data collection, including the integration of lived experiences, to strengthen the relevance, quality, and impact of evidence used to guide investments and policies.
• Strengthen reintegration pathways that support individuals in returning to education, employment, and community life following mental health recovery.
• Recognize that strong social connections and inclusive communities are vital to youth mental health, and invest in building societal structures that prevent isolation and foster belonging, beyond clinical mental health care alone.
• As already put forward by the Youth Mental Health Coalition, invest through public-private collaboration in the promotion, prevention and care especially for children and youth, and in solid data collection enabling society to adequately and promptly respond in the times of crises and enhance accountability for young people’s mental health.