Report finds 1.6M children, teens struggle with mental health, long waits for treatment

The report says Black, Indigenous, other racialized people and individuals questioning their gender and sexual identities are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges and typically face more barriers accessing treatment. These trends worsened in the past 20 years, with the number of young people reporting good mental health experiencing a sharp decline, which was exacerbated by the pandemic. The report found the costs of treating anxiety and depression, as well as the investment required from the education and justice systems, among others, is $4 billion a year. Recommendations include developing and funding a national child health strategy.