Join D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, PhD, MPH, a research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research; Blanche Wright, MA, a doctoral candidate in the UCLA Psychology Department; and Dr. Ann Crawford-Roberts, a resident physician at UCLA, as they discuss their policy brief which found that nearly 1 in 3 California adolescents reported having serious psychological distress and 1 in 7 reported experiencing moderate psychological distress in 2019. Psychological distress, measured by the number and frequency of symptoms reported in the past year, may interfere with adolescents’ social, educational, and occupational functioning and require treatment.

Presenters discuss how teens’ health in areas such as physical activity and social media use are related to mental health outcomes and share recommendations in reducing socioeconomic inequities, mental health training for individuals working in law enforcement, and more.