Collaborating with NAMI Iowa to support youth mental health

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, mental health challenges are the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people.¹ In recent years, there have been significant increases in mental health disorders among youth, including depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. Specific to Iowa, 22.6% of 9th to 12th graders had suicidal thoughts in the past year.² Committed to improving youth mental health outcomes, UnitedHealthcare is collaborating with NAMI Iowa to implement mental health education and support programming.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, dedicated to building better lives for millions of Americans affected by mental illness.³ Founded in 1979, NAMI has more than 600 local affiliates working to raise awareness and provide mental health education and support.

UnitedHealthcare’s $19K investment supports the delivery of NAMI’s Ending the Silence (ETS) program to YMCA camp attendees in Boone, Iowa, during the summer of 2024. ETS is an evidence-based program focused on youth suicide prevention and mental health awareness. It features presentations by a volunteer facilitator and a young adult volunteer who share their journeys through mental illness to recovery. Together, these presentations help youth learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if they or a loved one are experiencing symptoms.

Program goals and impact

The six-month goals for the program include:

• Conducting 25 ETS presentations to 1,000 youth at the Boone YMCA camp by the end of summer 2024
• Achieving 75% of youth participants and camp staff self-reporting increased knowledge, ability to recognize warning signs and comfort level discussing mental health topics

There are currently 37K Iowans aged 12–17 who are diagnosed with depression, yet only 42% are receiving treatment.⁴ High school students with depression are over twice as likely to drop out than their peers, making this program critical in improving outcomes for Iowa's youth.

The average delay between the onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years.⁵ Mental health education aims to address this gap by equipping students with the knowledge to help themselves and their peers. Research shows that social-emotional learning interventions effectively improve well-being and academic achievement.⁶

UnitedHealthcare remains dedicated to improving health outcomes through collaboration with NAMI. Over the course of the summer, the ETS program will provide youth with tangible resources to decrease feelings of isolation and increase their support network. Through these efforts, UnitedHealthcare aims to foster healthier, more resilient communities across Iowa. To learn more about how UnitedHealthcare supports Iowan youth, visit our website.