A Clinician’s View: Why Teen Mental Health Needs Employers

December 30, 2025

Parents of teens are carrying more than most workplaces realize. After long workdays, many shift straight into managing academic stress, social media crises, identity questions, and the constant worry: Is my teen OK—or is something more serious going on?

Teens, meanwhile, are navigating a world of relentless comparison, 24/7 digital noise, and unprecedented pressures. Nearly half (40%) report persistent sadness, and 20% have seriously considered suicide in the past year.

In my clinical work, I see this strain every day. Parents are exhausted, teens are overwhelmed, and the ripple effects extend into the workplace. Employers are feeling it, too. Nearly half of benefits leaders now rank caregiving and family stress as a top workforce issue—a tenfold jump from last year. They’re seeing the consequences: higher absenteeism, more out-of-network claims and ER visits, and productivity loss.

The challenge isn’t that families don’t want help—it’s that they can’t find good, quality care. Ninety percent of benefits leaders say employees struggle to find benefits tailored to caregivers, and 89% say high quality mental health care for kids and teens is hard to access. More than half report rising claims related to child and teen mental health.

Today’s families are navigating systems that weren’t designed for the realities they face. 

Why today’s teens need a different kind of care

Adolescence has always been complicated. The difference today is the rising prevalence, context, and severity. 

• Academic pressure has never been higher. Many teens feel like one misstep can derail their future.
• Social media and digital life magnify comparison, cyberbullying, body image pressure, and misinformation while disrupting sleep and replacing real-world connection.
• Sociopolitical and climate stress make the world feel less predictable and safe.
• Discrimination adds extra mental health burdens for teens from historically marginalized communities.
• The pace and intensity of adolescent life today requires care that is as adaptive and responsive as the environment teens are developing in.

These pressures don’t just affect teens—they redefine what mental health care needs to look like. Long waitlists, generalist clinicians, and poor quality care should not be acceptable for our youth. Teens need care that is fast, specialized, digitally-aware, identity-affirming, evidence-based, and integrated with family support.

A new model for teen mental health care

If the world has changed for teens, our care models must change with it. The mistake many employers and even families make is assuming teen mental health care is just “adult therapy, but younger.” It’s not. Today’s care should include:

• Specialized clinicians trained in adolescent development, able to distinguish normal teen challenges from early signs of anxiety, depression, or other conditions and provide developmentally tailored care.
• Support for digital life, including guidance on social media, gaming, cyberbullying, and healthy screen habits.
• Flexible access points, especially virtual care so teens can engage where they feel safest.
• Culturally responsive, identity-affirming care to keep teens engaged.
• Integrated parent/caregiver support, not as an afterthought but as a core part of treatment.

When care is designed this way, teens engage more consistently, parents feel supported, and families get better outcomes. Programs like Lyra Care for Teens illustrate what’s possible—fast access to specialists, evidence-based therapy tailored to teens, skill-building exercises, secure messaging, and centralized family resources.

How employers can support this evolution

Employers can’t solve every challenge teens face, but they can influence benefits and policies that determine whether families thrive or struggle.

1. Offer comprehensive youth mental health benefits, including youth specialists, culturally responsive care, virtual therapy, parent coaching, crisis support, and minimal wait times.

2. Communicate benefits clearly and often: during open enrollment, onboarding, awareness events, and manager communications.

3. Build flexibility into work, including time off for appointments, remote options, or flexible schedules.

4. Normalize conversations about family mental health - Train managers, engage ERGs, and reinforce that using benefits is encouraged.

5. Support parents directly - Partner with a benefit that offers expert-led webinars, guides, and parent-focused support.

When families thrive, workforces thrive

Teen mental health is shaping the well-being of today’s workforce, and the workforce of tomorrow. With the right support, teens build resilience and confidence, and parents experience real relief. Employers who invest in family-centered solutions aren’t just helping parents breathe again. They’re helping families thrive and strengthening their workforce.