At Edgewood, our singular focus is on youth mental health and supporting the families who care for them. During Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to share some statistics for California. Understanding what young people are actually experiencing is the first step toward helping them.
The numbers are sobering.
According to the 2025 BlueSky Youth Mental Health Survey, conducted by Blue Shield of California in partnership with Children Now, the statistics speak volumes:
- 94% of California Gen Z youth ages 14 to 25 report experiencing mental health challenges in an average month. That’s up from 87% just two years ago.
- Nearly 1 in 3 of these youth rate their overall mental health as “fair” or “poor,” with stress, anxiety, lack of motivation, and feeling overwhelmed topping the list of what they’re dealing with every day.
These aren’t just numbers on a page. They’re youth in our schools, in our neighborhoods, and members of the families we serve across San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.
The challenges run deeper than we might think
What makes this survey particularly striking is the breadth of factors driving poor mental health. It isn’t just academic pressure or social struggles. Young people are carrying the weight of enormous societal stressors:
- 87% cite housing affordability as a mental health concern
- 85% point to gun violence
- 84% to the rising cost of groceries
- 81% to discrimination against immigrants.
- 3 out of 4 report anxiety tied to climate change and natural disasters
The survey also makes clear that the crisis is not affecting all young people equally.
Among youth who rate their mental health as poor:
- 98% are youth of color
25% are LGBTQ+ youth
These are exactly the communities Edgewood has long served in our work, and the data reinforces why culturally responsive, identity-affirming care is not optional, it is fundamental.
Stigma is still keeping young people from getting help
Even when young people recognize they need support, getting it isn’t always easy. Of those who wanted professional mental health care but didn’t receive it, the following breakdown were reasons:
- 35% cited embarrassment as the reason
- 23% said they simply could not afford it
- 21% didn’t know where to turn
Even among youth who did ultimately connect with professional care, nearly half said embarrassment was an initial barrier.
This is why Edgewood works hard to make mental health support feel approachable, not intimidating. When young people and families know there’s a place where they’ll be met with warmth and without judgment, the decision to reach out becomes a little bit easier.
Young people are also showing us how resilient they are
Here’s what gives us hope: despite everything they’re carrying, these youth spoke to their outlook:
- 63% of California youth remain optimistic about the future. Most are actively taking care of themselves.
- 77% turn to music or entertainment as self-care.
- 69% talk to friends about what they’re going through, and many are channeling their anxiety into action, particularly around issues like climate change.
The survey also reinforces something we see every day in our programs: peer connection is powerful. Friends ranked as the most commonly cited and most helpful source of support, above parents, therapists, and other adults. Young people want to talk — and when trusted relationships are in place, they often do.
What Edgewood is doing about it
We provide a continuum of mental health services — from outpatient therapy and school-based counseling to intensive residential support and even crisis care through our Crisis Stabilization Unit. We do this precisely because different young people need different kinds of help. There’s no one-size-fits-all path to wellbeing, especially for youth navigating the kinds of complex, overlapping challenges this survey describes.
We also work closely with families, because a young person’s mental health doesn’t exist in isolation. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are critical partners in any young person’s healing — and they need support too.
Mental Health Awareness Month is a good time to remember that awareness alone isn’t enough. Awareness has to lead to access. It has to lead to funding. And it has to lead to compassionate, skilled professionals who show up for young people day after day.
That’s the work we do. And we’re honored to be part of it.
Statistics referenced from the 2025 BlueSky Youth Mental Health Survey, conducted by Blue Shield of California in partnership with Children Now, April–June 2025. The survey included 750 California youth ages 14–25 from urban, suburban, and rural communities across the state.
If you or someone you know needs mental health support, Edgewood is here. Visit edgewood.org to learn more about our programs and services. Or call us 415.592.2444.