YPM Offers an Innovative Solution to the Adolescent Mental Health Crisis
September 29, 2023 USA Today
Jon Stojan
Contributor
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “About 1 in 4 adolescents experience mental disorders that result in severe impairment...[and] almost half of adolescents with mental health issues do not receive any mental health services.” These alarming statistics point to a growing adolescent mental health crisis in America. While awareness has increased, many parents still feel powerless as their kids spiral into anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other debilitating behaviors.
One organization working on the front lines to address this crisis is Youth Prevention Mentors (YPM). Founded in 2019, YPM provides in-home mentorship services to struggling adolescents, young adults, and their families. I recently spoke with YPM’s Founder and CEO Maks Ezrin, to learn more about the adolescent mental health crisis and their innovative approach to solving it.
The YPM Difference
“At YPM, we have seen firsthand the troubling rise of the mental health crisis and its severe impact on young adults and adolescents,” said Ezrin. “The fact that 50% of teenagers with mental health struggles are currently not receiving treatment is unacceptable to us.”
While traditional clinical settings have their place, YPM brings effective treatment directly into the home. Their “Treatment Without Walls” approach connects families to highly qualified mentors and clinicians who become integrated into the family system and provide personalized care. It’s a preventative model seeking to address core issues before they reach crisis levels.
“What we do is largely born out of my own experiences overcoming poor mental health and addiction as a teenager,” shared Ezrin. “After getting sober, I knew I wanted to give back to the recovery and mental health community by expanding access to bespoke, preventative care.” Maks was recently awarded the Youth Community Leadership award from Caron and also has his Masters in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
YPM’s secret sauce comes down to a few key factors. With over 100 mentors nationally and abroad, YPM’s pairing process is designed to provide every mentee with the best possible mentor. Second, no two clients receive the same treatment plan. Care is completely customized based on the unique needs of each individual and family. Third, YPM mentors bring years of professional expertise and credentials in evidence-based, therapeutic modalities like CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing and more.
This multifaceted, in-home approach enables real behavior change as clients practice new skills in real-world scenarios. “Our approach is experiential and action-based, empowering families to create lasting change from the inside out,” said Ezrin.
YPM’s Impact
Today, YPM has helped scores of struggling adolescents and families across four continents. This has resulted in numerous young adults and adolescents who have been able to overcome adversity, rediscover their purpose, build self-efficacy, and reconnect with their families.
“As communication and dynamics within families transform, the positive effects of YPM’s services leave families united and better able to navigate challenges together,” explained Ezrin.
YPM’s clinical expertise also sets them apart. Their Clinical Director is Dr. Rami Kaminski, the former Chief Psychiatrist of New York for 15 years. Their Director of Family Programming, Dr. Louise Stanger, is a best-selling author, renowned family coach, and was voted Family Interventionist of the Year by Harvard affiliate McLean Hospital in 2019.
Introducing EF12: Teaching Executive Functioning Skills
To further expand their impact, YPM recently launched an innovative program called EF12™, which focuses entirely on teaching executive functioning skills. EF12™ was created by YPM’s Director of U.S. Operations, Jack Vaughan.
“Executive functioning skills are vital to success, and they are not being taught early enough, if at all,” said Vaughan. “EF12™ combines bespoke mentoring with science-backed behavioral health strategies and executive functioning skills. It’s not about just handing in homework assignments or being able to hold down a job, so much as it is about setting up a young person with a foundation for lifelong success.”
After working with struggling youth nationwide, Vaughan and YPM developed this 12-component curriculum to target essential executive functions like time management, task initiation, organization, emotional regulation, metacognition, and more.
EF12™ matches teens and young adults with a dedicated EF Mentor for one-on-one sessions using this proven curriculum. Sessions can be done virtually or in person for as long as needed. Early results have been extremely promising, and EF12™ has been incorporated by several schools, treatment providers, and tutoring centers.
Bringing Hope to Families
YPM’s work comes at a critical time as the adolescent mental health crisis continues to grow. For parents whose teens are engaging in self-destructive behaviors or struggling with mental health and addiction, YPM provides a lifeline.
“With the mental health crisis so pervasive today, we are fully committed to helping families and their children get the support they need,” affirmed Ezrin.
YPM specializes in helping adolescents and young adults aged 13-29 who struggle with issues like executive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance abuse, and more. Their services range from full in-home support to virtual sessions, allowing customized and preventative solutions.
While mental health challenges in adolescents continue to rise, organizations like Youth Prevention Mentors offer hope and real solutions. By transforming family dynamics and teaching critical life skills, YPM empowers youths to find their way through the darkness. Their innovative approaches are lifting up families around the globe and making a tangible difference in the lives of our youth.