Introduction – Child and Youth Mental Well-Being Resources

The introduction section in the guide gives a brief overview of how local governments influence the mental well-being of children and youth within their scope and existing mechanisms, how local governments benefit from this, the critical role of quality adults in young people’s lives and the importance of reducing disparities.  

Given that all local governments have different resources and work within different contexts, there is also a section on “where to start” to provide those at the beginning of this journey suggestions for where to put their initial focus, as well as to remind those in the midst of the journey of some key foundational components that are needed to ensure the most effective outcomes.