As youth suicide rates rise and depression deepens across the U.S., mental health experts are urging leaders to take swift, culturally informed action rooted in evidence-based treatments.

In a media briefing on July 25, hosted by American Community Media, a panel of experts discussed the grappling of loneliness within the Gen-Z community and what can be done to help.

Speakers

  • Dr. Kiara Álvarez, Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Joint appointment, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  • Victoria Birch, Advisory Board Member, California state Office of Youth and Community Restoration and volunteer at Beloved Village
  • Soo Jin Lee, LMFT, Therapist and Director of the Yellow Chair Collective
  • Dr. Ovsanna Leyfer, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and licensed clinical psychologist, Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University

“We’re in a true public health crisis,” said Dr. Ovsanna Leyfer. “But we also know what works — the question is whether we can deliver it.”

A Generation in Crisis

More than 40% of Gen Z — those between ages 13 and 28 — report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. One in five has seriously considered suicide, Leyfer shared. “These aren’t just statistics. These are kids in classrooms, homes, clinics — or worse, kids who can’t even access those spaces for help.”

While social media and the long shadow of COVID-19 have drawn national focus, Dr. Kiara Alvarez emphasized that youth of color face deeper, systemic challenges.

“For Black and Latino adolescents, racism is a chronic stressor,” said Alvarez. “It’s not about isolated traumatic events — it’s the daily toll of being treated differently, being stereotyped at school, and worrying about safety in their communities.”

Among Latino youth, stress is often intensified by immigration fears, language barriers, and financial struggles. “If you’re translating bills for your family at age ten, or your parents are working multiple jobs, it rewires your stress response,” Alvarez said. “These kids are navigating chronic threat environments — and we’re not responding fast enough.”

What Works: CBT and Its Limits

Leyfer highlighted the proven effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), calling it the “gold standard” for adolescent mental health treatment.

“CBT helps teens recognize harmful thought patterns, manage their emotions, and build lasting coping strategies,” she said. “But even when young people seek help, too often they don’t receive the right kind of care.”

“There’s a big difference between venting and actually learning to think differently, feel differently, and function better,” Leyfer added.

She advocated for embedding CBT into schools, primary care, and telehealth systems to broaden access. “If we meet youth where they are, we can actually shift outcomes.”

Still, she noted that clinical treatment alone isn’t enough. “Mental health is also about identity, community, and belonging. That’s where culturally grounded care matters.”

Healing Through Identity and Culture

Soo Jin Lee emphasized the importance of therapy that reflects cultural experiences, especially within Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

“In AAPI communities, we’re not just confronting stigma — we’re breaking through generations of silence,” said Lee.

She explained that many Asian American youth carry the invisible weight of intergenerational trauma — rooted in histories of war, displacement, and sacrifice. “Even if they don’t know the full story, they feel the emotional residue: the pressure to achieve, the shame around struggle, the guilt of rest.”

To help address this, Yellow Chair Collective uses nonverbal practices like tai chi, breathwork, and sound baths. “Sometimes therapy is just sitting on a mat and breathing together,” Lee said. “Words aren’t always necessary to begin healing.”

Western models of mental health, she added, don’t always resonate. “If all we offer is talk therapy with a clipboard, we’ll lose so many young people. We need therapy that reflects their identities and honors their histories.”

A Story of Survival

Victoria Birch shared her powerful personal journey through anxiety, depression, self-harm, foster care, and incarceration.

“It didn’t feel like support — it felt like punishment,” Birch said of her early experiences with mental health systems. Incarcerated from ages 16 to 22, she said, “I didn’t know how to belong. And when you don’t feel like you belong, you find other ways to survive — even if they hurt you.”

It wasn’t until connecting with Beloved Village, a community-based organization, that things began to change. “They didn’t make me prove my pain. They just showed up,” Birch said. “That’s what real support looks like.”

Now working with California’s Office of Youth and Community Restoration, Birch speaks publicly about the importance of mental health support for youth.

When asked what healing means to her, she replied: “Sometimes it’s just someone sitting next to you. Even in silence. Just being there.”

Moving Forward

Supporting Gen Z means expanding access to both evidence-based treatment like CBT and culturally affirming care.

“We need to honor both science and story,” Alvarez said. “CBT builds skills, but cultural belonging gives life meaning. Youth deserve both.”

Lee agreed. “We can’t expect young people to mold themselves to broken systems. We need to rebuild those systems to reflect who they truly are.”

Leyfer added that while CBT isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, “If we can get more of it into schools, clinics, and digital platforms, it could be a real game changer for this generation.”

 

All images provided by ACoM.