The Wyoming Department of Health is asking families and youth to complete brief surveys on the potential barriers and needs for mental health care for young adults and youth in the Cowboy State.
There will be two separate surveys available; one for parents and guardians of youth and young adults and one specifically for you aged 11 to 21. The surveys are completely anonymous and should only take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
“We know there have been increasing discussions about mental health issues affecting our younger residents in Wyoming the last few years,” said Megan Selheim, Youth and Young Adult Health Program manager with the Wyoming Department of Health. “We want to know how we might improve access to care and hope to hear directly from families and youth about their experiences and thoughts.”
While the surveys are intended for youth and young adults and asks for information on barriers, including from those who may be uncomfortable asking for help from family, Wyoming Department of Health is not promoting this survey directly to them.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to share the survey with young people in their care, regardless of whether they have ever needed or accessed mental health care services.
“We appreciate everyone who takes the time to complete the survey, as well as anyone who shares the survey with friends, colleagues and people in the targeted age group. We need timely responses from across the state to help ensure we have a solid understanding of what’s needed to strengthen mental health care access for kids in Wyoming,” Selheim said.
There will also be related surveys for pediatric and mental healthcare providers that are currently underway. Wyoming Department of Health will review the results from these surveys which will assist in developing a plan to improve access to mental healthcare for Wyoming’s youth and young adults.
The Wyoming Pediatric Mental Health Care Needs Assessment, supported with federal funding, is offered by the Maternal and Child Health Unit, part of the WDH Public Health Division.
Both copies of the surveys are available here.
