Mental Health Literacy: A Conceptual Framework for Future Inquiry into Child and Youth Care Professionals’ Practice with Suicidal Adolescents

Abstract

Knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders; attitudes that promote help-seeking; knowledge of risk factors and causes, treatments and self-help, and professional help available are all elements of mental health literacy. The complexities of practice with suicidal adolescents and young people suffering from mental health concerns require conceptual frameworks, such as mental health literacy, that can adequately identify professionals’ strengths and educational needs. In light of current research, this paper identifies Child and Youth Care (CYC) professionals as optimally situated to prevent adolescent suicide, examines adolescent help-seeking as an element of mental health literacy central to CYC practice, explores additional elements of mental health literacy relevant to CYC practice, and offers suggestions for future inquiry into CYC professionals’ mental health literacy in practice with suicidal adolescents.