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WGU D628 Capstone Task 2 New York Youth Mental Health Program
D628: Public Heath Graduate Capstone
Task 2: Community Public Health Program
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A: Summary of Issue
Adolescents and emerging adults in New York State are facing increased
mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. This situation has been
exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and persists in the post-pandemic
era. There are risk factors at various levels. Access to care is hampered by
socioeconomic factors like poverty, scarcity of providers, and financial
constraints. Behavioral factors comprise a lack of social interaction and an
inability to cope with stress caused by disruption in their lifestyles. Biological
factors comprise brain maturation during adolescence, which increases exposure
to stress. More than 272,000 adolescents suffer from a major depressive disorder in
New York annually, and 170,000 have suicidal thoughts per year (NAMI, 2025).
Almost half of the teens living in New York City suffer from depression (New York
City Health, 2024).
Quantitative data highlights the extent of the issue because more than 3.27
million adults within the state suffer from mental disorders, and 783,000 are
affected by serious mental illnesses (NAMI, 2025). According to De France et al.
(2022), stressors caused by the pandemic resulted in escalated increases in
anxiety and depression symptoms. Qualitative data shows that the youth are more
worried about their future, feel socially isolated, and resort to social media to cope
with their problems, which may lead to depression (New York City Health, 2024).
Adverse childhood experiences affect 14% of young people aged 0-17 years old in
New York state (NAMI, 2025). The statistics reflect a large-scale problem along with
serious service shortages.
A call for immediate action is required at this juncture. There are many
instances where youth in New York state have gone through mental struggles due
to a lack of access and stigma related to mental issues. The interaction of both
pandemic and systemic factors results in this vicious cycle that adversely affects
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academic performance, family relations, and individual well-being. The
integration of quantitative data on the prevalence rate of the problem with
qualitative descriptions of daily stressors reveals that although the problem
occurs in diverse communities, it mostly affects those who are vulnerable, thus
requiring effective programs capable of tackling these risk factors.
A1: Demographic Information
The target population for the program includes teens and young adults aged
12 to 24 years old in the state of New York. This particular population is made up of
many races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with many coming from
major cities such as New York City and the
WGU D628 Capstone Task 2 New York Youth Mental Health Program
D628: Public Heath Graduate Capstone
Task 2: Community Public Health Program
, 2
A: Summary of Issue
Adolescents and emerging adults in New York State are facing increased
mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. This situation has been
exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and persists in the post-pandemic
era. There are risk factors at various levels. Access to care is hampered by
socioeconomic factors like poverty, scarcity of providers, and financial
constraints. Behavioral factors comprise a lack of social interaction and an
inability to cope with stress caused by disruption in their lifestyles. Biological
factors comprise brain maturation during adolescence, which increases exposure
to stress. More than 272,000 adolescents suffer from a major depressive disorder in
New York annually, and 170,000 have suicidal thoughts per year (NAMI, 2025).
Almost half of the teens living in New York City suffer from depression (New York
City Health, 2024).
Quantitative data highlights the extent of the issue because more than 3.27
million adults within the state suffer from mental disorders, and 783,000 are
affected by serious mental illnesses (NAMI, 2025). According to De France et al.
(2022), stressors caused by the pandemic resulted in escalated increases in
anxiety and depression symptoms. Qualitative data shows that the youth are more
worried about their future, feel socially isolated, and resort to social media to cope
with their problems, which may lead to depression (New York City Health, 2024).
Adverse childhood experiences affect 14% of young people aged 0-17 years old in
New York state (NAMI, 2025). The statistics reflect a large-scale problem along with
serious service shortages.
A call for immediate action is required at this juncture. There are many
instances where youth in New York state have gone through mental struggles due
to a lack of access and stigma related to mental issues. The interaction of both
pandemic and systemic factors results in this vicious cycle that adversely affects
, 3
academic performance, family relations, and individual well-being. The
integration of quantitative data on the prevalence rate of the problem with
qualitative descriptions of daily stressors reveals that although the problem
occurs in diverse communities, it mostly affects those who are vulnerable, thus
requiring effective programs capable of tackling these risk factors.
A1: Demographic Information
The target population for the program includes teens and young adults aged
12 to 24 years old in the state of New York. This particular population is made up of
many races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with many coming from
major cities such as New York City and the
