Montana Launches Pioneering Free Digital Mental Health Tool for Youth

Montana is set to become the first state to offer a statewide free digital mental health tool tailored specifically for children and their families. Dubbed Project YES (Youth Empowerment & Support), the initiative will provide single-session digital mental health interventions accessible to the state’s rural and urban youth, beginning in 2025.

The ground-breaking project is a collaboration between Northwestern University’s Lab for Scalable Mental Health, Koko, Montana Pediatrics, Frontier Psychiatry, and the State of Montana. With 51 of the state’s 56 counties experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals, Project YES is designed as a vital resource to provide immediate, effective mental health support. Each session, taking roughly ten minutes, offers practical skills or plans to aid in youth mental health, leveraging asynchronous focus groups that include youth input in the design and development of the tools.

“Project YES represents a transformative approach to addressing the youth mental health crisis in Montana,” remarked Dr. Jessica Schleider, the initiative’s principal investigator and Associate Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University. “Through these digital interventions, we aim to reach adolescents whenever and wherever they need support.”

Dr. Chelsea Bodnar, CEO of Montana Pediatrics, highlighted the importance of integrating youth feedback into the project. “Involving youth directly ensures our initiatives are grounded in their lived experiences, particularly critical in a state where rural specifics significantly influence healthcare delivery,” she said.

Dr. Eric Arzubi, CEO of Frontier Psychiatry, emphasized the potential impact of the project in making mental health resources accessible, especially in underserved and remote communities. “This collaboration enables us to mesh new, impactful mental health solutions within existing frameworks, ensuring no child is left behind,” stated Arzubi.

The initiative is financed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a generous anonymous donor, and is a part of the Montana Access to Pediatric Psychiatry Network (MAPP-NET). Plans are currently underway for an official launch date, and stakeholders are encouraged to join the dissemination efforts to widen the reach of this crucial service.