The World Council of Churches has conducted three workshops during an Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's youth gathering in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The meeting convened July 16-20 July, drawing some 20,000 youth, young adults, and their adult leaders.

John Christensen, WCC project officer for the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network and Mental Health, served on the team leading the workshops/

"The first one may seem incredibly obvious but sometimes we need to be reminded," said Christensen,

"Mental health struggles affect more than 25 percent of the global population at some point in their lives.

"In 2019, 14 percent of the world's adolescents (ages 10-19) were living with a mental disorder of some kind. Alongside that, 71 percent of people dealing with some form of psychosis do not receive adequate mental health services."

Christensen said this leads to suicide being the 4th-leading cause of death in people 15-29 years old, globally.

"But, there is still hope," he said.

"Thankfully, it is more and more common for people to talk about their mental health. Even when there are limited medical resources, community resources (such as church communities) can be a resource that contributes to the lessening of the negative effects of mental health struggles."

The workshops focused on where mental health and youth are in the church, helping participants understand more about mental health and wellbeing, and providing a platform for dialogue.

"I felt like the lone or token young person involved in church. But coming to the Youth Gathering in 2009 and now again to the Youth & Young Adult Gathering in 2024, it reminds me that I am not alone," said and Young Adult Gathering in 2024, it reminds me that I am not alone," said Christensen,

The Partnership Center of the US Department of Health says that mental health is at a crisis level for today's youth.

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/youth-mental-health-and-well-being-in-faith-and-community-settings.pdf

"From the Surgeon General for the United States to parents in homes across the country, people are recognizing that our nation's youth are experiencing unprecedented mental health challenges."

The center says that data supports such growing concern and more than 40 percent of teenagers say they struggle with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

More than half of parents and caregivers express concern over their children's mental well-being.