WS 12 - Young People and Mental Health: COVID-19 as Wake-Up Call for Policymakers?!

Findings of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and the experiences of a 'COVID generation' in which the social development of young people is characterized by lockdowns, social distancing, isolation and a shift to digital media use are still at the very beginning. While some countries have addressed mental health during the pandemic by developing national COVID-19 response plans for mental health service and the deployment of digital platforms, signifying a welcome recognition of the salience of mental health, it is no priority area yet in the health strategies of many countries. The session focuses on the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and wants to discuss options to integrate mental health approaches in policy discussions. How can mental health services be mainstreamed into countries health strategies? Which impact do digital platforms have on the well-being of young people during the pandemic? Which solutions can digital technologies offer? What can we learn from other countries? What findings and recommendations should be taken up at the policy level?