Mental health of young people: defender of rights requires an emergency plan

Claire Hédon called the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, to set up an emergency plan for the mental health of young people, undermined since the health crisis.

Le Monde with AFP

Two years after the health crisis, the wave of psychiatric problems among young people has not subsided and worries specialists. The rights defender called on Thursday, June 2, the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne on Thursday, June 2, to set up an emergency plan for the mental health of young people in the face of “the gravity of the situation”, believing that “largely insufficient means “are deployed.

“While 2022 was appointed European Youth Year, the Defense of Rights, Claire Hédon, and his assistant the defender of children, Eric Delemar, calls on the Prime Minister to take the full measure of the gravity of the situation In which many young people are immersed and to act quickly so that the mental health of young people is a priority, “she reported in a press release.

young girls mainly affected

The defender of rights had already alerted in November to the state of mental health of young people undermined by the health crisis, with an increase in depressive disorders and an insufficient psychiatric care, in its annual report on rights of the child.

According to the latest France Public Health Bulletin France, emergency passes for suicidal gesture, suicidal ideas and mood disorders among 11-17 year olds were maintained at the beginning of May “at a high level”, higher than that Observed at the beginning of 2021. If all social environments are affected, in 80 % of cases suicidal behaviors concern young girls, which is not new.

“Public health France unfortunately proved him right by publishing alarming figures on an increase in emergency passes for suicidal gestures, suicidal ideas and mood disorders”, stresses the press release, deploring that “however, certain structures continue to close beds in child psychiatry for lack of personnel and means “.

29 recommendations

For a few months, the deadlines for obtaining an appointment with a psychiatrist has clearly extended. In medico-psychological centers, they can reach 18 months depending on the region. “The lack of management of mental health disorders and the breaches of the rights which result from it constitute an obstacle to the good development of the child and to his higher interest, that two years of epidemic waves have contributed to aggravate in a very worrying manner “, Continues the text.

“While the peak of hospitalizations of adolescents of 2021 does not come down, the situation of some of these minors remains dramatic, as the care is sometimes unsuitable.” For the defender of rights, we must “get out of fragmentary and strictly health approaches “.

Faced with growing needs, some structures have emerged such as atrap, in the 20 e arrondissement in Paris, which promises a rapid response (48 hours to the maximum) to young aged 10 at 15 years of crisis and who have no psychiatric follow -up in their sector. But it is only accessible to Parisians.

In his November report, the rights defender had made 29 recommendations to tackle this problem, including improving young children’s reception devices, developing “support for parenting” and opening “houses adolescents “in each department.

/Media reports.