The lecture titled “Youth Mental Health: A New Paradigm to Transform Mental Health Care” marked the successful start of the ECYM Lecture Series. As the first speaker, Patrick McGorry provided pioneering insights into the urgently needed transformation of care for young people in the field of mental health.
His talk focused on the growing global challenge of mental health disorders among young people. Despite increasing needs, youths continue to have the poorest access to adequate care. McGorry emphasized the necessity of a new care paradigm specifically targeted at the developmental phase between 12 and 25 years of age.
A central element of this approach is youth-friendly, low-threshold care models that closely integrate prevention, early intervention, and research.
At the same time, McGorry highlighted that rising prevalence rates—particularly among young women—as well as societal megatrends and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic further increase the urgency for action.
The lecture made clear that, in addition to expanding innovative care structures, enhanced research efforts and the further development of specialized professional profiles are necessary to effectively address the increasing burden.
With the Lecture Series, ECYM provides a platform for international exchange on key issues in youth mental health and generates important impulses for research, policy, and care.
Further events in the series are already being planned and will be announced shortly.
