Focus 6: The Shift from a Child to Consumer Support System

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a challenging time for anyone, full of new responsibilities and critical decisions that affect the future. While this transition can be difficult for all young adults, it is particularly so for those who have a serious mental illness.

It seems natural that as youth and young adults move from childhood to adulthood, their support systems should evolve with them. Unfortunately, the way most systems of care are set up, young adults reach a point where they must move from the children’s health world to the adult health world, and there are genuine barriers that often make that transition difficult.

In the newest edition of the CAFE TA Center’s Focus newsletter, we examine ways in which adult consumers and help bridge the gap, and bring young adults into the larger consumer movement. Please check it out here, and consider how you and the adult groups that you are a part of can reach out to youth and young adults with mental illness.